


Shadowhunters and High Warlocks don't mix

by SunsetSwish



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Multi, Seelie Clary Fray, Shadowhunter Magnus Bane, Slow Burn, Warlock Alec Lightwood, Warlock Jace Wayland
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-07-16 00:37:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16074704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetSwish/pseuds/SunsetSwish
Summary: Magnus hasn't met their local High Warlock simply because he had no opportunity to yet AND because the man seemed to only tolerate Lucian Greymark, Magnus's superior, when contact between their races was needed.A bad hunt and necessity brought Magnus to Alexander Lightwood's door, asking for help.





	1. The Meeting

Meeting their local High Warlock might have been an experience Magnus wouldn't have on his list of accomplishments for another several years if not for one evening filled with what _had_ seemed an easy hunt.

At half past one am the team of four Shadowhunters was almost done, just seeking out the last of demons now scattered in run for their demonic lives. The night sky was clear and the waxing moon was out in the open sky, the temperature just low enough to keep bodies and minds alert without being a serious drawback.

They cleared out a demon den earlier that night. A lucky hunch got them on the trail of one rat-like disgusting creature and then to a place more of them apparently multiplied in. Those creatures alone were something even a teenage Shadowhunter could have dealt with but there was something more.

Three _different_ demons lurked in the same place: bigger, faster, and meaner.

Magnus ordered Raphael and Elias to stand back, both of them being junior Shadowhunters under his care. He and Dot took the lead, taking on the three bigger demons on one at a time. They disposed of one of them, then another. The last one escaped.

Glass rained down from the window it broke through, making more noise than the whole fight did. The four Shadowhunters rushed out of the building to catch any trail of the demon.

Bloodstains were just what they were looking for. More like ichor, thick and very dark against the already dirty concrete. They followed, not having to split up to look when they had such clear signs to follow.

It was in a dead-end filled with large, green trash containers where they cornered the thing. It might have been waiting for them too, angered about their attack. It was Magnus's fault, really, that they became too cocky around it. The ease with which they have killed the previous two made them all too sure.

This last demon, cornered and already wounded, lashed out with enough power that the three Shadowhunters who were closing in on it in the alley were thrown back.

Magnus felt all the air leave his lungs in a painful rush, leaving him hunched over and struggling to recover fast enough to protect himself and his team. When he looked back up at the alley, the dirty corner was empty. There was no demon in front of them and it wasn't anywhere nearby, trying to attack from behind. They remained on guard but it had to have more self-preservation instincts than bloodlust.

It was just as well, seeing as the luck that had accompanied them all day finally ran out: Magnus turned to look at the others and found Raphael bowed over Dot, who was sitting on the ground. With his view of her half-obscured by Raphael, Magnus couldn't tell if there was something wrong.

Evidence of the sudden attack was scattered around them: long, shiny spikes made of chitin-like material have been shot by the demon at their team. One was sticking out of the wall, having hit a softer patch of plaster. Another, broken in half, was lying on the ground in Magnus's path. He already began to suspect what was the cause of Dot's wounds.

The same sort of spike was now in Raphael's hand, after he just pulled it out of Dot's body, from the soft place between shoulder and ribcage.

It was a good thing Raphael tended to wear gloves to patrols, as Magnus really didn't like the look of the spike thing. It was more likely meant to leak demon venom and had already been in Dot's skin.

She wasn't looking weak yet but she couldn't hide the pain in her expression. Magnus hesitated. Closing the wound with venom in it was a bad idea and the chase had brought them quite far from the Institute. It wouldn't be a problem if one of them was simply wounded but venom added a new level of difficulty they had to keep in mind and solve as quickly as possible.

That brought Magnus to considering an outsider's help. Looking at the map, from the street they were on between them and the Institute there was the High Warlock's house. Magical healing was definitely a good idea right now, so Magnus voiced it.

"We're going to have to pay a visit to the High Warlock."

Magnus saw Raphael start to open his mouth and Magnus knew very well that all that would come from it would be a protest. Too bad, Raphael wasn't the leader of this tiny team- Magnus was.

"We're going north anyway." Magnus said. "If we reach the High Warlock and Dot still feels well enough to continue on, we can consider going all the way back home instead."

"Fine. But you know you'll literally have to pay for this visit."

"I'm willing to shoulder that debt on my own if it gets Dot safe and healed."

 

Dot did not, in fact, feel well at all by the time they reach their destination. She was pale and shivering, her skin felt too dry to touch. Magnus had cut her shirt a little wider around the hole made by the spike so it wouldn't irritate the already painful wound. The spike itself was securely attached to Magnus's belt where it didn't get in the way of his movement. He thought it might be useful for the warlock to see the actual source of the wound. Besides, those things creeped him out and maybe he could learn something more about them.

 

So this is where they ended up: banging on the door of the High Warlock’s house, hoping that he is inside. He might not be. There was a hundred reasons for someone like him to be occupied elsewhere. Still, Magnus waited and knocked again, and waited, hoping. Eventually there was some muffled noise from behind the heavy door and after a tense few seconds the door opened, letting the light from the inside spill outside onto the doorstep and the stairs. It was a big brownstone building, wide enough that it should have two sets of doors for each part but as it is, it's clearly meant to be one whole house. It wasn't surprising that he could afford it, considering the value of High Warlock's rank, and his age. Actually, if it was Magnus in his place, he'd probably prefer a penthouse somewhere more in the center of the city.

"You're not Luke. Go away." The man who opened the door snapped impatiently, not even trying to act neutral when faced with unannounced visitors. Well, too bad for him, because Magnus was fully determined to get to the High Warlock, and soon. Thankfully, the tall, dark-haired man wasn't the type to say his part and just shut the door in visitors' faces. He was still there, unimpressed by sight of blood (and obvious Shadowhunter gear) and waiting for them to get lost.

"We need help with demon poison." Magnus said. "This was closer than the Institute and my friend needs help _now_. Please, is Alexander Lightwood in? I'll pay for this for the rest of my life if I have to, just please let him help us."

The man raised his eyebrows, still unimpressed, but he stepped to the side all the same, making room for the Shadowhunters to come in. Magnus helped Dot get inside and then heard sounds of protest from Raphael and Elias behind them.

"You don't all need to be here." Magnus heard the man say. "Only the injured one and one of you to help. The rest of you, shoo."

"It's fine," Magnus quickly told his team. He would rather stay alone with Dot than risk being turned away after all. "Go back home, tell the others what happened and that we'll be late."

Thankfully this time Raphael and Elias kept silent, if fuming, understanding the seriousness of the situation. They turned and left.

"Just what I needed to end the day." Magnus heard the man who let them in mutter while he closed the door behind them.

There were more people in the apartment, as Magnus soon saw. A red-haired girl and a blond guy were standing at the entrance to one of the rooms to the left, watching Magnus and Dot. The blond was the first to move forward and Magnus was grateful when he helped support half of his friend's weight. He took the lead towards the couch in the main open room, where the dark-haired man who had opened the door was now laying down a stretch of sheet-like fabric to cover the furniture before blood could dirty it.

With that done, he straightened and pointed at the red-head girl.

"Clary, practical lesson time: what do we need to draw out demon poison? Gather all of it and bring it to the kitchen. Jace, if we do this together, we'll be done faster."

There were twin voices of agreement and they started moving in unison but in different directions.

Clary disappeared somewhere into the depths of the apartment, while the two men focused their attention on Magnus's friend. He watched as the minor, uninfected cuts healed in a blink of an eye, closed by blue glow coming from the warlock's hands. This was the superiority of warlock's magic over their iratzes: the flow of magic could be directed, closing some wounds and leaving the others to be healed with different, proper care.

"This is what did the most damage." Magnus says, holding up the spike for the warlocks to see. "Shot from a demon's tail. It had multiple things like that."

"That's nasty." The blond commented. He and the dark haired man shared looks, then turned to look at Magnus.

"I'll keep the poison from spreading until the potion can draw it out. Then we'll neutralize it and complete the healing."

"Thank you." Magnus said in a heartfelt way. "I- haven't introduced myself, for which I apologize. My friend, Dorothea." He made a gesture at Dot. "And I'm Magnus."

If he'd been expecting an introduction in return, he'd be disappointed because he didn't get one. Just a nod of acknowledgement.

 

Magnus tried to stay out of the way when Clary came back, ingredients and containers in her arms. She spread them across the table and began to pick appropriate doses to put into a ceramic crucible.

Only now did Magnus notice that just below her hairline where an intricate braid pulled her hair away from her face, she had small, pretty patterns in shape of vines and leaves. She was a seelie.

Once she was done preparing the mixture, she poured it in a cup and brought that cup over to the other warlocks. The dark-haired warlock nodded, approving the potion to be used. With Magnus's help they moved his friend to sit up so she could drink. It was lucky she was still half-conscious, making it easier to not choke on it or let it spill.

Leaning over his friend, Magnus ran his fingers over her cheek, brushing away the stray hairs stuck to the sweat. It was a change from before and it was possibly a good sign as compared to pale coldness and shivers. Now it was more like she burning up and didn't look like was all there, but she was alive, not bleeding out and now in the middle of getting help, so Magnus found it easier by the minute to push away the fear.

At this point, with the mixture Clary had made doing its job, the warlocks began to do their part, too. Magnus observed in silence as the glow of magic grew in intensity.

He appreciated the look of concentration on the warlock's face. For all the unconcealed hostility, he at least seemed to be treating healing seriously no matter who was the recipient of his services.

It felt like a very short time has passed when the man raised from his half-kneeling position by the couch, leaving the other warlock to continue. Magnus opened his mouth to ask why he stopped, but the warlock pointed at him and said, "You. Show me where you lost the demon."

"Now?"

"Yes." He magicked into existence a black leather jacket and put it on in a fluid, efficient movement. "It can't be running around with more of this." He pointed at the spike. It hasn't disintegrated yet, which Magnus knew meant the beast was still alive. "You said it was injured. It would leave residue for me to track."

The Shadowhunter really didn't like the idea of leaving without Dot all right and ready to go back to the Institute with him but he knew his duty, and his duty made him follow the warlock to the door without protest.

He had to trust the pair they were leaving in the house knew what they were doing and would continue to care for his friend.

From the moment they left the building, Magnus willed himself back into mission mode, delegating worry for Dot and for the younger Shadowhunters to the back of his mind. He couldn't just count on the demon hiding forever.

They reached the alley undisturbed and they both immediately began to look around. There wasn't much to see, however. The demon spindles were gone as they were supposed to, except for the one in the warlock's hand. There was some Shadowhunter blood left, splattered and drying, and some dark, smelly demon ichor, spreading in the opposite direction from where they came. Smudges of black over the trash container and a little on the wall behind and above it were a good indicator of where the thing went, but it would only be useful for a short distance. The beast couldn't bleed that much if it was still alive somewhere.

Magnus was about to offer a suggestion of their next step but when he turned to the warlock who was somewhere off to the side behind him, he saw the man was already occupied.

He was crouching down, one hand outstretched towards the ground, his fingertips touching the dirty concrete. His eyes were closed and from his fingers, in concentric waves, orange magic spread around him, rippling and fading after a few feet or so.

Magnus watched with curiosity. It wasn't like he hadn't seen a warlock in action before, it just happened rarely and none of those he'd seen carried such prestigious title.

It was quite convenient to take a good look at the warlock now, without appearing suspicious or being a bother. Magnus had noticed right away his height and, well, the body in general, especially under that soft maroon shirt now covered by leather jacket. It was why he hadn't immediately assumed he was looking at Alexander Lightwood when the man had opened the door. He just appeared so young that Magnus made the wrong assumption about him. The High Warlock of Brooklyn was a gorgeous man who didn't look a day older than Magnus himself, which at this point was 22.

Overall, the warlock dressed for comfort and practicality, rather than appearances. Nothing showed his nature or experience. Or wealth. He did have a pair of rings on, however. Dark silver, not too wide. Magnus was too far and it was too dark to see any possible patterns on them. They did not fit the whole image of the warlock, so Magnus assumed their sentimental value.

He startled when the warlock opened his eyes, immediately finding Magnus with his gaze without turning his head. An involuntary shiver ran down Magnus's body.

"It's in the sewers to the northeast. I think it's around the laundromats."

Magnus nodded. Then, he smiled. "Well then, lead the way."

 

"So. Alexander." Magnus said conversationally as he followed the other man. "You are Alexander Lightwood, yes? Or else the real High Warlock has a bunch of people staying in his house while he's not there… Do I have to call you by your title and full name?"

"You could just call me 'sir'." Came the gruff reply.

"Somehow, I don't think you would like that at all."

"You'd be right."

Magnus considered this fruitless exchange an answer on its own. He didn't receive clear request to stay away from first-name basis and it wall all but confirmation of the warlock's identity.

 

They found a suitable entrance to the sewers and descended, both not very pleased with their work conditions but both focused on the goal nonetheless. Even here, Magnus found himself shifting from being grossed out by the muck sticking to his usually perfectly shiny boots to appreciating the view ahead of him. He was following the High Warlock, who now had a ball of light hovering some twenty centimeters ahead of him, putting him in a warm halo to anyone looking at him from behind. Which meant Magnus saw his body nicely outlined. He moved with purpose, calm assurance in every step. The tilt of his head showed he was on guard without a pause, ready to strike or defend at a seconds notice. His hair, soft and unruly, looked only softer with dispersed glow smoothing out the edges of his silhouette. Magnus could pull out his own witchlight but the magical sphere was sufficient for the both of them.

The tension in Alexander's body only increased the farther they went into the sewers. There were some points where they had to bow under elements of the construction and some paths they could not take, since they were too small. If it wasn't for the warlock's tracking and magical awareness, those smaller paths and holes would have made Magnus truly uncomfortable and feeling unsafe.

"Get ready." Came the soft, lowered voice of the man ahead of him. Magnus kept his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The demon couldn't hear them, but it would sense them once they were close enough.

They came upon a crossroads of sorts, where Alexander paused. Wordlessly, he gestured for Magnus to take the left fork. Magnus nodded and moved ahead, now with the angelic sword drawn and ready. His path branched again after seven steps, to the right. He was now farther from the warlock's glowing orb and while the path ahead was still visible, behind the corner to the right was only pitch black darkness.

It was quiet. Very, very quiet.

Magnus jumped back, immediately crouching and thrusting the sword up and forward, slashing through the second half of the monster which leaped at him with a shrill screech. It only made worse noise when wounded but it still moved fast, turning back to Magnus, who also prepared to face the demon. It bled profusely, spreading black liquid around mixing with filthy water.

Magnus was ready to counter the next attack. In fact, he moved first, once again finding the best angle to injure the demon. Too bad he couldn't just manage to kill it at once, he thought to himself while dodging the poison spike aimed at his throat. His next thought was about the High Warlock. The fight could have been so much shorter if the man participated in it? Magnus wasn't doing well enough to afford to move his attention from his immediate problem to look for the warlock, but his hearing only picked up his own noise and that of his opponent, who has finally made a mistake.

Magnus drove his sword through the black, grotesque head, effectively stopping the demon for good. The spiked tail thrashed a final time and dropped to the ground.

The Shadowhunter stumbled back, taking deep breaths, watching the demon's body dissolve into disgusting goo. That goo still stuck to his sword so he tried to clean it by shaking it off, with little success.

Finally, he was free to look for the damn warlock. The light hadn't gone out at any point of the fight and sure enough there was the orb, glowing away in the original crossroad point, where they separated. There was no warlock to be seen. Magnus began walking back, wary, listening.

He couldn't hear anything. He also couldn't hear the demon which has snuck up behind him from the same direction where the first one had been hiding. Clawed limbs connected with his back, hard, sending him forward and knocking the breath out of him, the second time that night.

Magnus attempted to roll with the fall but the new beast was determined to hold onto his clothes, if it couldn't tear into his skin. It was lucky he had enough layers to protect him.

"Now would be a great time to help!" He cried out, beginning to feel the first lick of desperation.

He didn't hear any reply, no steps rushing towards him. What he did hear, however, was a growl, low and echoing, _coming from his left_. Cold sensation ran down his back. Did the damn things multiply spontaneously?

The two demons were somewhat similar to each other in appearance and size and Magnus couldn't tell if those two also possessed spindles. They were each their own brand of ugly, though and Magnus didn't enjoy the thought of dying with those things on top of him in a filthy, dark sewer with only a magic ball of light for company.

He couldn't raise his right arm from under the second beast's claws and he couldn't twist enough to reach his second dagger with his left arm. He couldn't do _anything_ in time to defend himself when the second demon lunged to attack – and promptly exploded when an flash of blue force hit it in the chest and blew it apart from the inside.

The remaining demon roared, taking its attention off of Magnus but not letting him go. As it turned out, it did have spikes which it raised on its wiry tail and aimed at the Shadowhunter below it. Magnus saw the moment they protruded from the tail, the same way they had in the alley. At this close distance, it didn't matter if they carried poison or not, he'd be speared through by more than one and that would be it.

An electric feeling came over his body, foreign and intrusive in its passage. It confused him greatly in the few seconds he had to think about it. The sensation faded away and at the same time his vision worsened. That is, he stopped seeing the demon over him clearly. There was a rippling, shimmering layer to everything, distorting edges and colors giving them bluish hue.

If this was how he was going to go, it wasn't so bad. If the only pain he felt was coming from claw-wounds, he supposed he was getting off easy.

There was a distinct sound when the demon shot its weapon and Magnus flinched with it, closing his eyes instinctively. And… nothing changed. He still felt the hard, damp ground underneath him, he still felt each and every of his wounds… and no new ones. He opened his eyes again just in time to see the demon fly off of him, punched by a blast of magic which took it apart like its companion before. Gore splattered around but none reached Magnus, instead settling down in a gross cloud over the shimmery thing that still made everything _not-sharp_.

He stayed down until the barrier went down too, called off by its creator when it was no longer needed.

Steps hurried towards Magnus, announcing the warlock's presence just as well as his offensive _and_ defensive spells had. He reached down to give Magnus his hand and helped him up. It probably wasn't a good idea to move up so fast- he had the dubious pleasure of feeling his blood rush in all the wrong ways and he swayed just so.

A hand on his arm steadied him and then another hand touched his face. Magnus looked into the hazel eyes of the warlock who was now looking at him closely.

He didn't ask permission nor did he warn Magnus before there was magic connecting them, healing power running down the Shadowhunter's body from the point of connection – fingers to cheek. One by one, centers of pain disappeared from Magnus's awareness. He found himself standing a little straighter, made lighter with the help of magic. It couldn't have lasted longer than a minute, but it felt longer.

"We're done here." The High Warlock announced, taking his hand off Magnus. The Shadowhunter looked around, only to see the mess left behind by the creatures. They were already half-way to decomposing, a thin mist rising from the remains and dissipating.

Magnus followed the warlock in silence. This time they took the nearest convenient sewer cover and they soon were standing under the night sky, between the back of a pub and a hardware store.

He should be feeling more relaxed by the minute but Magnus only felt more angry. Now that he was in the open space, he didn't feel the need to trail behind the warlock. Once he recognized where they were, he began walking purposefully towards the street where the warlock's house, and Dot, were.

Two or three minutes later a hand landed on his wrist and wrapped around it, firm but not forceful. They stopped.

"Hey, um, what's your name again?" The warlock asked.

"Magnus."

The other man nodded to himself. "Magnus. I can see you're still shaken. You weren't in danger at any point. I was there the whole time. The demons came to your angel blood and they didn't pay attention to me. They wouldn't have all shown themselves if they saw the first of them blown up by magic."

"I get it." Magnus replies shortly. Of course he does get it, he just doesn't like it. It's not how he'd treat a teammate in the same setting.

"I'm sorry." The warlock said. "I probably won't do that again."

The words surprised Magnus a little. Did he mean future encounters with Magnus or just any random Shadowhunter he happened to hunt with the next time?

"Let's get you back to your friend." Alexander said and this time they were both in agreement that it was good idea to see if everything went well with the injured girl.

His movements as controlled and economical as before with other types of magic, Alexander opened a portal for them and led Magnus straight back into the house. It was warm and bright and there was Dot, still on the couch under a blanket.

"All done?" Asked Jace, who was sitting in the kitchen with a phone in his hand. Clary was sitting at the same table but with books and sheets of paper spread before her.

"The nearest ones, yeah. But it's not over and it'll have to be dealt with."

Magnus looked up at the High Warlock. He was serious, a thoughtful expression on his face. Tonight's hunt was routine and it was just bad luck that they ran into a nest but Magnus knew what the High Warlock was thinking about. There have been many more demons around lately than before and it seemed their numbers increased in waves. It was something the Institute has been busy working on lately.

Magnus wasn't feeling so angry at the warlock anymore. He understood, they were strangers, not even the same species. He believed the man hasn't meant him harm, just wanted the job done. Besides, Magnus decided to take his payment for it by enjoying the _view_ for a while longer.

Alexander Lightwood was hard to overlook. Back in good light his eyes were _bright_. In a pale face, framed by dark brows and contrasted against dark hair, they were quite striking. Magnus thought he might just make it his mission to have the High Warlock turn those eyes at him with something else than thinly veiled irritation reflected in them.

"If we're seeing the problem from both sides, maybe we should-" Magnus started.

Alec looked at him sharply. "When I'm given a _good_ reason to cooperate with the Institute, then I will. No sooner."

Magnus gave a mock wince at that. Well, he wondered how Lucian dealt with the warlock every time. Maia didn't seem to be put off by the man whenever she happened to accompany Lucian so Magnus thought that there had to be a trick to befriending the prickly Downworlder. Luke and Maia were the ones always delegated to "Downworlder" duty, which translated to "asking for favors" and they did it best, causing the least offence among Downworld as Shadowhunters. The Downworld was used to them and often when someone else went instead of the two Shadowhunters, they got the same greeting Magnus had received when knocking on the High Warlock's door tonight.

"She'll be good to leave first thing in the morning." Alexander said neutrally. "The couch is yours."

 

In the end, Magnus sent a message to Lucian Greymark to let him know about progress with Dorothea's recovery and another message to Raphael saying he'd be staying the night as a guest in High Warlock's home. He got one message in response, asking him if Raphael was free to take over Magnus's room and belongings in the event that he'd never see him again.

The High Warlock retreated definitely behind heavy door that probably led to his bedroom. There was still the pair of other Downworlders but Magnus got the feeling they were, actually, a _pair_ , or had all the signs of becoming one soon, whether the interested parties were aware if it or not.

He didn't want to be a third wheel in that situation so he didn't bother with engaging them in conversation. Besides, he did feel the day catch up to him. He was completely healthy, every last scrape and bruise taken care of by warlock healing before but nothing could make natural exhaustion go away. Especially after the full meal provided by Clary, Magnus was quite ready to go to sleep.

He found himself a spot on the fancy curving sofa and wrapped himself in the blanket provided to him. He slept.

 


	2. The Rifts

Things don't go back to normal after that night. The Shadowhunters return to the Institute and to their work while the warlocks return to theirs. What doesn't return to their place are the demons. Sightings become more frequent by the day and the creatures seem to be getting bolder. Or more vicious. Eventually, Shadowhunter patrols are doubled to cover more ground and to eliminate more demons at the same time.

Luke goes to the High Warlock's apartment a couple of times, asking for advice and consulting some plans with him. The meetings are fruitful because after each of them Luke has new orders for the analyst team in the Institute and new patrols are sent out daily to investigate certain leads.

All of that brings them to one Thursday noon, when Luke calls a briefing in the computer centre. He stands in the middle of the room, the interactive map brought up in front of him. Magnus, standing in the blue light of the screens, has his team nearby- Dot and Raphael and Elias. Catarina is off to the side on her break from her wotk in the Infirmary. She doesn't like how many of their people are coming back injured now, even if there hasn't been anything major to heal yet.

"We didn't know what to look for." Luke begins speaking and the hushed private conversations stop. "We ran some new scans, both here and magical, performed by the High Warlock. We've also been observing the demons and their paths, as you well know. All that brings us to the conclusion that there are rifts made in the world, pathways to demon realms. Or rather _from_ them. They must be small, subtle. The High Warlock has promised to have his people take care of those until they're all gone. Unfortunately, if someone is _causing_ them, they will be appearing until we deal with the source."

It makes sense. Rifts, tears in the fabric of the Shadow World. An actual portal to hell would have enabled something much bigger and much more sinister to pass through, not just the animal-sized demons. Not that those are to be taken lightly.

An S-sized portal will be harder to discover in such a big city with so much magical activity. It will cause much smaller disturbances to be picked up by Nephilim technology or by warlock's scanning.

Luke splits them up into teams and tells each of them to pick a zone to cover.

Magnus takes one look at the map displayed on the main screen, overlaid with the possible rift clusters and loudly calls dibs on the one he knows to be closest to High Warlock's apartment. No one was actually going to be his competition for the place, because why would they?, but Magnus grins like he won something.

"Take Maia with you," Luke tells him with a pointed look. Magnus keeps smiling while he salutes him.

* *

Alec and Clary reach the place where the series of rifts start and immediately spot the group of Shadowhunters waiting. Alec sees the flashy one, Magnus, immediately. Next to him is Maia, who is a better sight to see but then behind them, there are three _young_ Shadowhunters, who could only be a problem or at the very least a _bother_ in Alec's opinion.

He approaches the group, ready to ask what the hell they imagine they could do here but the Shadowhunter beats him to it.

"Good morning. Clary, Alexander." Magnus nods at the both of them in turn. "A good day for a field trip, isn't it?"

Alec doesn't ask for an explanation after that. He has enough imagination to know what the answer would be and he really doesn't want to hear it. He has a Seelie under his care who he's training and now there is a whole group of Shadowhunters tagging along to gawk at his work. There is lots to do and he is _working_.

So what Alec does in response is to rub his hand down his face and say, "Great. Amazing."

"Isn't it?" Magnus agrees and makes an 'after you' gesture towards the detected rifts.

Fortunately, it's easy for Alec to focus on his job and tune out distractions. This isn't a drill; a series of tears making doors for demons to slither through can't be ignored and have to be effectively dealt with as soon as possible.

The rifts are a curious thing from a standpoint of theory of magic but very disturbing to witness in person. The air around them ripples like it does over a hot surface in the middle of summer, creating a roughly oval shape hovering some two feet over the ground. Every now and then the rippling will intensify and the air will darken in the center of it. It's surely a sign the rift is about to open and spit out something more into their world. It's visible to anyone with the Sight but with magic, Alec can 'see' more details. He assumes the Shadowhunters have a rune or two that allow them to better sense invisible energies as well.

He decides not to get to closing them immediately. He wants to observe first, confirm that the same kind of demons they'd fought are coming through. It's possible that something worse, something more cunning might have been getting in and knowing that would make it easier for them to search those demons out in the city.

Not much happens for a good while but Alec's been expecting that. It's not a movie, the action doesn't need to happen the moment they step in. Meanwhile, the Shadowhunters have some tech with them that they set up in a distance from the rifts. It looks like sensors.

To not waste time while they're there, Alec goes over the rift-closing with Clary. Her Seelie magic is different from his but it's lucky that Seelies happen to be able to open ways for themselves, as well as close them. She should be able to affect a rift one way or another. If not, Alec will have to close a few himself before he gets tired.

Eventually, it happens. Alec feels it first but soon after Clary opens her mouth to comment and he nods, gesturing at her to get ready. She may not have Seelie armor but her twin long daggers are in her hands.

If the rift itself was disturbing, something coming through it is plain _gross_.

Someone makes a sound of disgust next to him and Alec finds Magnus there, his eyes fixed on the rift. He didn't even hear the Shadowhunter come closer but he's within reach now on Alec's left.

"You should step back." He says. 

"I don't think so. Shadowhunter." Magnus points at himself. "Demons." He points at the corrupted air about to spit out a whole creature.

"And I'm the High Warlock who has no wish to be called in after a Shadowhunter gets run over on my watch."

"Darling, don't you worry your pretty head over me," Magnus says, for a second glancing at Alec with those dark eyes of his, before lunging forward, his sword raised up. He has the demon impaled on it before it can even orient itself in the world.

The demon screeches, hurt and enraged now, but it doesn't get to be angry for long. Magnus cuts its head off with his other weapon, a dagger that he wields in his left hand.

They've seen enough of the demon to know which kind it is, there was no need to let it live for longer than a few seconds.

Letting the shrinking remains slide off his blade, Magnus turns his attention back to the rift. He's about to turn back when it ripples again and another demon of the same kind jumps through.

"Do you want this one?" Magnus calls out to Alec, not taking his eyes off of the demon.

" _You_ are the _Shadowhunter_ ," Alec calls back. He stands with his arms crossed over his chest, letting the Shadowhunter show off. He is, of course, ready to step in at any second, his magic thrumming under his skin.

After Magnus disposes of the second creature, they decide it's enough and it's time to close the path they're taking to this world.

Alec steps in to do his job. It takes focus to encase the rift in his magic so that no trace remains untouched by it. If it's to be closed, it needs to be closed in its entirety.

It's like trying to shut close something that has a spring mechanism in the middle holding it open. Alec concentrates on the core of energy that doesn't fit this world, tries to push it together… and it snaps. The dark energy loses its qualities, releasing a leftover wave which punches him back, his body losing balance.

Alec throws his arm behind him, preparing to soften his fall with magic but before he ever gets close to the ground, he hits a body first. Magnus closes his fingers on Alec's left shoulder and Alec feels his other hand press against his back. His fall is stopped, no magic needed. Magnus's body is warm against Alec's back when the Shadowhunter helps him return to proper upright position. Even with him facing the opposite direction from Magnus, Alec's nose catches the cologne he's using.

Magnus lets go of him, pats him on the shoulder. "There, all right now."

"Thanks. I should have expected that to happen. Admittedly, I have never dealt with anything like this before."

"We don't exactly have records of things like those, either." Magnus tilts his head to where the rift used to be. "We'll know it happens the next time. And I'll be there to catch you."

Magnus winks and turns away to his fellow Shadowhunters. "Did you get that recorded?" He asks and they nod. Elias is the one always interested in technology more than in physical aspects of Shadowhunting, much like Raphael's sister, Rosa. He'll be free to pursue a career path in the operations center but only after Magnus is satisfied with his field training.

 

Alec's skin still tingles under his sleeves where Magnus touched him. His grip was strong and sure. And maybe it was nice to be caught by a Shadowhunter for once, instead of having something constantly thrown his way by the Clave.

When Alec turns to Clary, her face is the picture of concentration. "What is it?" He asks.

"I'm trying to sort my feelings. You know, how the impressions the rift left. There's something kind of familiar in it but not all of it."

"Downworlder energies? Spell traces?"

"Yeah… It's not spontaneous, I can tell you that."

Alec doesn't like that but on the other hand, it's better that the rifts are forced from this side, by possibly one of their own, rather than made from the _other_ side.

"Where to next?" Someone asks, one of the younger Shadowhunters. Alec turns to them. They're packing up the tripod and Maia helps put the sensors back into the bag.

"The next rift - or a _potential_ rift - is actually a walking distance from here."

"Excellent. Let's go." Magnus plants himself at Alec's right side like it's a school trip and they're being assigned pair partners.

Alec can hear the grumbling from the two Shadowhunters Magnus has brought with him. They're either not approving of their team-leader being so willing to be close to a Downworlder or they don't approve of Alec specifically. He vaguely remembers one of their faces, and possibly the other young man too. He didn't much care when they'd been knocking on his door that night. The hurt woman isn't here today but at least Alec knows for sure it's not because of her injuries. He'd healed them completely.

Magnus talks. He talks all the way, content to fill the silence with only syllables from Alec as answers.

Alec gives him side-eye glances, watching how animated his face becomes when he's telling a story. His eyes are lined with dark blue today. The first time Alec saw this man, he'd thought he was coming from a party. It'd be nothing surprising to Alec to hear that Shadowhunters end a night out partying with some hunting. But the make-up is here today as well, so it's probably something normal for Magnus.

Alec can't say he doesn't like it. It's something new.

Alec should be more against the Shadowhunter's stories. He shouldn't care for their hunts beyond their results. He shouldn't encourage the man. But Magnus chooses stories to tell Alec that he was part of, and somehow he manages to make it sound… interesting. _He_ is interesting.

And maybe Alec's entirely too old to be caught on a good talker's hook, but… he is. It's not a chore to let Magnus talk.

When he gesticulates, the crimson flecks in his black nail varnish catch light. His hands are graceful, as good with gestures as they were with a sword, from what Alec's seen so far. Alec will let him go on until work has to be done.

Clary hangs back with the Shadowhunter ducklings. Alec can hear her voice in a conversation with them but he doesn't try to listen. He trusts her not to talk about _sensitive_ things.

Well, he _doesn't_ trust her. Just a little. About as far as he can throw her, which would probably be a reasonable distance with her size and his magic to help.

He hears that it's Maia who does the most talking with Clary so that might be okay. Alec doesn't _trust_ Maia, her eyes are much too cunning sometimes, but he _knows_ her somewhat. Paired with Lucian Greymark, she's the easiest for Alec to cooperate with.

And now he has a Shadowhunter he's never met before on his heels, talking at him like Alec's his long-lost acquaintance.

 

"What about you, Alexander?" Magnus asks, making Alec realize he lost track of their conversation for a few seconds.

" _What_ about me?"

"What do you think about the river snakes?"

"Uh." He tries to force his brain to recall what Magnus was saying about river snakes. He goes with something that won't make him sound like an idiot. "I've seen one or two."

 _That_ is exactly the right thing to say because Magnus's excitement grows. "You have! They're not an urban legend?"

Alec rolls his eyes. "Everything's an urban legend. Yeah, they're real. Too smart to be easily found."

"Huh. You just won me an old bet, Alexander. Thank you."

Alec refrains from saying 'you're welcome'.

 

The next rift is much like the first one. They don't wait for anything to cross through this time so Clary steps forward to try to close it. Magnus notes how differently she moves compared to the High Warlock. It's like maybe she's not always sure of herself or… or like she's doing something for the first time. Besides that, she doesn't use her hands the way the warlock did. She closes her eyes instead and stands still.

Magnus could swear he smelled fresh grass in the air for a brief moment where there should only be car fumes and other city smells.

Whatever her Seelie ways are, the rift closes. The rush of released energy doesn't happen; they braced for it, but the rift winks out of existence as if sucked in, sucked away.

"That was different," Magnus says.

"Seelie magic is different," Alec says. "So long as it works, I don't have anything to say."

"You know, the way it disappeared, makes me wonder where it went."

Alec grimaces because Magnus has a point with his choice of words. This is why he'll probably never fully trust Clary. You just _never_ know anything for sure with Seelies. He only hopes there isn't another place right now where the rift was spit out by the forces.

"Are we going to do this all day?" It's Raphael. He's addressing Magnus. "Watch them close the rifts?"

"We're ensuring the safety of the High Warlock and mundanes, should there happen a demon attack," Magnus replies.

"All of us?" Raphael crosses his arms over his chest. "We could be doing any number of things more useful than this. Nothing's going to happen."

"I'd say that's a good thing but… How about this, if the next one is the same, you and Elias will be free to go back."

"What about me?" Maia asks.

"You'll be staying, because I'll be staying. Luke's orders."

"And I still don't know what's _that_ about."

She doesn't know Magnus has read all there is to read in Institute's files on the High Warlock. She doesn't know that Magnus sat in a chair one night, his feet up on the seat, knees to his chest, all wrapped up in his burgundy robe and scrolled through all of the photos the Institute possesses of Alexander Lightwood. He chose the least active part of the night for this- when those who were awake were patrolling and the ops center had only skeleton crew. Of course, Luke caught him there.

Magnus's reaction to being caught was to begin to pester the older Shadowhunter with questions about what the warlock is _really_ like. Luke answered some questions, then sighed and told Magnus to go make himself useful on a patrol or go to sleep.

There weren't that many photos, actually. Two from the twentieth-century of Alexander in a uniform from the Second World War and of him in a restaurant, doing nothing more interesting than simply eating. There was a woman with him at the table but since the photo focused on Alexander, there was only the woman's back and her long black hair visible. It was the forties or fifties, their outfits could fit either decade, as did the warlock's slicked back hair.

Magnus much prefers his modern hairstyle, the effortless mess, as he calls it in his head. Now that he's thinking about it, it would have been fun to see how the man got through the early two-thousands.

Modern Alexander, with the fluff on top of his head, says, "We'll manage on our own."

"I'm sure," Magnus says quickly, "but you don't have to. This concerns the Institute."

"Then _please_ let's move on. Either with them or without." Alec says, gesturing at Raphael and Elias. The two Shadowhunters exchange glances, then look at Magnus.

"Fine. You can leave now," Magnus tells the two of them and tries not to roll his eyes at how pleased they look to be freed from this assignment.

Magnus watches them turn around when the whoosh of an opening portal nearly startles him. Alec's really not willing to wait long today. Maia's already grabbing all their equipment since now it's just her and Magnus. Before Magnus can get to her to help, Clary's already doing that.

Alec waits in front of the swirling portal.

"Do you know where we're going next?" He says the name of the street and they all confirm. It's actually a tricky place to work in, they'll have to be glamored and hope no demons decide to pass through since it's behind a cinema. A popular cinema in a shopping complex.

They come out of the portal in the farthest end of the parking lot, right by the trash containers. It's the middle of the week so there's no worry about the lot being full like it is on weekends. Walking a short distance, they find the rift with all its visual anomalies. It's as ugly as the others, but this time something feels _more_ _wrong_ to Magnus. He looks around, searching for the source of his unease. Maia follows his gaze but she sees nothing, just as Magnus sees nothing. It doesn't make him any more relaxed.

He remains tense while the High Warlock works on closing the rift. He remains tense up until his senses tell him 'now!' and he spins around, his dagger already flying from his left hand before he can even _see_ what he's aiming at. The dagger buries itself in a man's chest. Right at the center. The glow of the Adamas increases while in its target, revealing the nature of it.

"Eidolon demon," Magnus says, his voice cold.

"Good hit," Maia comments.

Alec, now able to turn his attention away from the closed rift, lowers his still glowing hands and looks at Magnus, who meets his eyes. Alec nods once. Magnus doesn't have it in him to do anything than nodding back. He _hates_ Eidolon demons. The damn shapeshifters.

There aren't any more around. Magnus lets his body relax, lowering his right hand from where it hovered over the handle of the sword.

 

Alec asks Clary to go again. He wants to observe her technique again for his own knowledge and future reference. It's a real task, to be coaching someone of a whole different race in magic.

Alec has as much to learn here as the girl does, and while he's all for becoming better, he sometimes wishes he didn't have to be the one to look after the strange Seelie.

She concentrates just as before and closes the third rift with no problem. It disappears and all the anomalies go with it.

"With a little luck, it'll reappear over the Queen's head," Alec says neutrally. "I'll be happy enough if it reappears over Aldertree."

"You don't like the Fair Folk?" Magnus asks. It's not like Downworlders are supposed to like each other, as evidenced by the Werewolves and Vampires, but still. 

"He doesn't like _anyone_." Clary stage-whispers.

*

Magnus is tenacious. He keeps asking all kinds of questions, from personal to bizarre ones.

Alec doesn't appreciate being questioned by a Shadowhunter, except Magnus wants to know Alec's favorite color and favorite dish. His favorite movie. Favorite decade or century. Alec starts answering those after he realizes that it gives him more silence when the Shadowhunter stops bothering him until he comes up with another question instead of trying to convince him to answer the previous one.

Magnus is also giving answers to his own questions once Alec answers him so at least it isn't one-sided. Alec isn't trying to remember them.

"Where are you from?" Alec asks at some point, surprising Magnus for once. "You're not from New York."

"That is true, I'm not. I came to New York from London but before that, I was in a couple of different places."

"And your home?"

"Indonesia. But it's not my _home_. I've spent much more time elsewhere."

Alec notes that he doesn't specify the city and he doesn't ask. He can understand moving around so much that home becomes the place where your _family_ is.

"Why here? New York is not the most exciting place to be if you have so much experience traveling."

"Oh, I've noticed," Magnus answers, making a face. "I do appreciate the mundane side of the city, definitely, but it's true I could have gone elsewhere." He shrugs. "I had a good feeling about being here."

*

"You're tired," Magnus says an hour later. He's not the first to notice, Clary was. She'd asked Alec if he was okay to continue one rift ago, while Magnus and Maia were looking at their sensors and sending messages to Luke. He'd told her they'd do one more.

They divided the rift-closing between the two of them but Alec was the one portalling them around the city and he was exerting more magic. Now he must truly be showing the strain it put on him if the Shadowhunter is pointing it out.

"I wanted as many closed as possible." Alec points out in answer to Magnus's words. 

Maia looks concerned, and not because of him. "There were more that we closed than there were on the map we when started. There are still several open that weren't there an hour ago."

"Jace will be tired too, by now," Alec says. "We all need to rest. If someone is working actively against us, we'll need to go about this differently."

No one argues with that. Maia takes a last look at the screen of the tablet they used to connect to the sensors and shuts everything down.

"Our team will go through the data we've gathered so far and I guess we'll have to prepare a new game plan for these rifts."

Alec acknowledges her words with a nod. To Clary, he says she should let Jace know they're going back and will meet him at home.

Alec offers to open a portal for them to the Institute. He mostly wants to save them the trouble of getting the equipment back when there's only two of them now.

"I thought we might step in somewhere, get something to drink?" Magnus says before Alec can begin opening the portal. Alec's hands, raised for the spell, lower.

"Look, Magnus," He starts, his hand making an aborted gesture. He drops his hand. "This has been a very productive day so let's end it while it's good."

"That was the _day_. I've been told I can make an _evening_ special."

"I'm sure," Alec says. "I already have plans."

"I understand." Magnus doesn't press further, giving Alec a smile. "We'll see each other soon."

Alec blinks. He guesses they will.

* * *

 

Before they can figure out how to track the source of all their problems, it becomes clear they have to keep closing the rifts like they have the first day. This time Alec, Clary and Jace all go to different areas of the city, along with a few other warlocks who are usually willing to work at the High Warlock's request. It isn't difficult to convince them when the threat is so obvious.

They're getting relevant information from the Institute, regularly brought to them by Magnus. Alec only points out once that there is more than one working computer in his house and the Institute might as well send him an e-mail, but Magnus throws so many reasons at him why the mundane internet is _bad_ for this that Alec gives up.

Usually, Alec looks through the data and copies it to a paper map with magic while Magnus watches, enthralled. Alec notices that the Shadowhunter looks at his hands more than at the magic coming from them. In fact, the way he always watches Alec is… well, it's not unnerving, since Alec has seen enough creepy people in his life to have a basis for comparison.

Maybe he likes the way the Shadowhunter watches his body instead of his demon-given magic. 

After one such visit, during which Alec updats his map while Magnus holds the mug Clary has offered to him earlier (since Alec wouldn't), Magnus tries to stay around. Alec knows he needs to deal with that quickly. 

"There isn't enough good will in me to stay so long around a Shadowhunter so why don't you just go before you push it." 

"I thought we were getting along quite well," Magnus replies, not moving from where he's sitting. 

"It was bearable."

"You're breaking my heart, Alexander." He presses his hand to his chest. 

Alec closes his eyes briefly. "Please go while it's the only broken thing of yours."

"Clary is so nice to us-"

"She's young. She doesn't know yet what to expect from you."

"Harsh."

" _True_."

"But harsh. What have _I_ done to make you dislike me?"

Alec looks at the ceiling in search of patience. "Do something to make me like you, then come back."

He receives a beaming smile in response. The heat Alec feels building in his face makes him regret his own words very quickly so he performs a tactical retreat, finding something to do in another part of the apartment and telling Magnus he can go now or be expelled by the wards.

*

Magnus goes to the Institute humming most of the way.

When he's back, handing the tablet back, Maia eyes him with confusion. She knows where Magnus just came back from and she knows he's been going there more than once.

She's known Alec Lightwood much longer than Magnus has and she never felt the need to be the warlock's _friend_. She doesn't dislike him, not at all, especially when he's been incredibly useful over the years (if he agreed to help at all), but to be so interested in him… Well, Magnus _is_ the odd one, always has been since he came to stay in New York.

Maia likes Magnus. He's an excellent Shadowhunter and his eccentricities can be ignored if someone doesn't like them. Personally, Maia appreciates his fashion sense and can't imagine a Magnus without make-up anymore but she's well aware, just as Magnus is, that there are still many Shadowhunters who are only  grudgingly ignoring him, not _accepting_ him. They both know there are still whispers behind his back. There are also some who'll say something to his face.

The overlap between those people and people who do not care to know Magnus's history is quite significant.

*

Maia never says a word regarding Lightwood to Magnus, but Luke feels like he should be the one to do it. When he approaches Magnus after the younger Shadowhunter returns and is on his way to the shower, Luke asks him for a moment of his time.

Magnus wants to brush him off since it's not urgent but the serious face stops him from saying no. He follows Luke to the office and stands there, waiting for whatever the man wanted to tell him.

"You need to be careful. High Warlock is an actual position of _power_ and it's not just because he's old and very skilled. You've met him so you must have some idea of the kind of person he is – prickly – but he is _not_ a loner. He knows vampires, werewolves and he maintains close relations with several other warlocks nearby.

If he perceives something you do as an insult or a threat, he has the power to make things very difficult for us."

Magnus sighs, looking contrite.

"I understand that. I have no intention of making him feel _bad_ around me."

"I know you're not trying to piss him off but your intent doesn't make everything right automatically."

"I know. I'll be less… _me_ around him." Magnus says. 

"I just want you to be careful." Luke's face softens. "You can go now, get some proper rest before your patrol."

Magnus nods and turns to leave.

"Magnus," Luke speaks again before he's out of the door. Magnus turns to him. "Don't let _him_ insult _you_."

At that, Magnus smiles. "I wouldn't worry about that. I have thick skin. And he hasn't tried to."

"Good. Please make sure it stays that way."

*

Magnus thinks about the conversation later at night when he's alone in his room. He isn't blind to all the things that make Alexander Lightwood a dangerous enemy to have but he also sees the things that make him not an _easy_ enemy to make. At least, Magnus believes that to be true. 

He highly doubts that inappropriate conduct from himself or someone else could send the warlock into anger hot enough to cause harm to the Shadow World. He _could_ see Alexander getting petty, however, and that doesn't seem like a tragedy. In fact, it makes Magnus smile to himself in the dark of his room.

By the Angel, on _that_ face, Magnus is more than willing to witness a whole range of emotions. The warlock is a wonderful set of contrasts: aside from his personality, it's in his fair skin and his eyes framed by his dark eyebrows and hair. If Magnus had brows like that, he'd probably enjoy frowning more, too.

He chuckles, alone in the privacy of his room. He falls asleep wondering when he'll see the High Warlock next.

 


	3. More Lightwoods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I finally realized I used a different tense for ch2 and continued to write in present tense... I'll change ch1 to present as well once I'm not sick with cold.

Magnus goes on more patrols just as other Shadowhunters have to do. It's becoming quite annoying to have this much work when for once he has a reason to want more free time. Usually, he was happy to throw himself into his work as a Shadowhunter, fill his days with doing what he was genuinely proud of and then pop into a club to fulfil his need for entertainment and human contact beyond Nephilim society.

Now, he'd appreciate more time to spend on figuring out a man. A frustrating, beautiful man.

Magnus thinks about him while making his way down a street. He's glamored from Mundanes' sight and he's free to go where his intuition leads him. There weren't any leads he could set out to follow today since what they have was already assigned as information for the other teams. Magnus is on a solitary patrol, mostly to keep the everyday dark forces in check… and now that he thinks about it, it's the closest he can get to having some 'free' time. He's free to think.

He's tempted to write a message to the High Warlock. The patrol is eventful as far as killing minor demons goes, yes, but it's _routine_ and a distraction for Magnus's mind would be welcome. Especially a pleasant distraction. Even if he can't get to see his face, Magnus thinks it wouldn't hurt to at least remind Alexander Lightwood of his existence.

Even if his wrists are aching from handling his blades in three encounters with demons so far and his feet feel the strain of walking and dodging, and the occasional jump, Magnus feels strangely invigorated at the thought of the warlock.

It's a flaw, some would say about him, that it isn't hard to catch his interest. And it truly isn't. It's not his fault that pretty faces framed with dark hair and eyebrows are just so alluring to him. It isn't against the rules to pursue a type. It isn't against the rules to flirt and have fun, and maybe spend his night with someone. 

Turning a corner, Magnus runs into yet another lesser demon. There are two, actually, and Magnus spots the second one quickly. With the advantage of a surprise attack, it's just another easy fight.

Whenever it gets too boring, Magnus reminds himself that Mundanes would not find this easy to deal with at all. If other patrolling Shadowhunters killed similar numbers of demons tonight, then it'd be a good night at any _other_ time. In the current conditions, until the rifts are closed, they can't pat themselves on the back for a hunt like this.

Magnus gives himself a moment of rest. He chooses a nice elevated spot to climb up to, giving him wide enough view of his immediate surroundings.

For all the love Magnus has for company, parties and drinks, he knows how to be alone with his thoughts, too. And since solitude isn't easy to come by in the Institute, Magnus sometimes takes solitary patrols. This one wasn't his choice but necessity, but he probably would have gone on one regardless.

After spending a few minutes just enjoying the night, Magnus takes out his phone from the inside pocket of his jacket and dismisses a short message from Elias, updating him on the next patrol schedules. Then he opens a new message window and begins to type without spending too much thinking.

He gets as far as "How is your evening, Alexander-" when he has to stop.

He can hear the steps of an approaching person before he can see them. They don't sound like they're trying to creep on him but then he realizes that he should have heard them _sooner_ if they walked with this much noise from the start. Magnus stands up from the vent he was perching on and faces the intruder.

He sees a definitely female figure, long hair and a dress barely reaching the knees. The woman is wearing heels that don't seem like a great choice of footwear for trespassing on roofs. She comes closer and one of the lights finally reaches her and Magnus can see more details. The dress is red, the woman is exceptionally pretty and her lips are as red as the dress.

"Hello," Magnus says. He's always preferred to start with politeness until proven that it was the wrong choice. It's one of the things he and Raphael will never agree on. Raphael prefers the Shadowhunter welcome package for "intruders", meaning telling them to go back the other way.

"Good evening, Shadowhunter," she answers, smiling. Her sharp canines flash briefly.

Magnus isn't sure what a vampire wants from him and whenever uncertainty is involved, Magnus treads carefully. Right now it means just standing where he is, waiting to find out what the woman wants.

"Would you like a tip?" she asks. "I've seen a group of shax demons while I was taking a stroll tonight. I can show you where since you're not currently occupied."

If that's true, Magnus certainly appreciates knowing this. However, the word "group" might mean it's not a good idea for Magnus himself to tackle this problem. He's _good_ but showing off should be reserved for team patrols, not when he's a lone Shadowhunter in the presence of a vampire. Calling another team is an option, either to have them join him or just hand the mission over to them.

Seeing he hesitates, the vampire tells him: "I'll come with you, Shadowhunter, don't worry."

If she's trying to lead him into some kind of trap, whatever reasons vampires might have to do anything to him, then it'll be better to deal with it instead of escaping and risking another Shadowhunter's safety. If she's lying about demons, then Magnus is curious why. If she _isn't_ lying, then he's curious how she wants to help him fight them.

"Let's go," he says. "We can't let any demons roam about."

"Exactly." She smiles again. It seems to come easily for her.

She leads the way, her heels making the regular dull sounds as she walks. When she reaches the edge of the roof, she jumps off with grace Magnus knows comes from being a vampire but he still can admire it.

 

There are, in fact, shax demons nearby. Whatever brought them near, it apparently left them confused because when the vampire in the red dress leads Magnus to them, stopping a safe distance away above them, they're not really headed _anywhere_. Magnus and the vampire have climbed another roof to get above them to be at an advantage and they have a short amount of time to observe before their presence is sensed by the creatures.

They move like a pack of confused animals, sniffing at the surroundings. While he watches them, Magnus is also mentally prepared for a sneak attack from the woman. Not because he expects it from every vampire but because vampires are Downworlders and Downworlders _sometimes_ really, really dislike Shadowhunters. She might just think it'd be nicely ironic to push a Shadowhunter down to be eaten by demons. Magnus is an optimist, yes, but it never made him naive.

Nothing of the sort happens. They're both silent, their movements careful. He's aided by his runes and his training, she has a vampire's grace and speed, and probably years of practice on top of that.

Readying his twin blades before the attack, Magnus concentrates, choosing how to best use their advantage against too many demons. He needs to make the best possible first move and all the others will depend on it.

Then, he leaps.

He drives both blades through the most vital point in the first demon's body, giving it no chance to even understand what happened to it. The others raise noise, ugly, demonic screech that always made him uncomfortable. There's no time to waste- he frees his blades from the first demon's body and spins around, just in time to block the nearest demon's jaws from catching his arm. He doesn't manage to push his sword through its head and has to yank it back instead, jumping back to avoid a retaliatory attack.

Now it's not as easy anymore. He has two demons on two sides and only a little time to figure out which he should deal with first. Dodging a grab attempt, he twirls further out of the way. This part he never had any problems with: move fast and move the right way, keep himself out of harm's way until the best opportunity to strike arises.

The opportunity doesn't want to come as soon as he'd like it to. He injures one creature, angering it but also making it back off for a second. The other charges at him, wanting to tear him apart.

A silvery line loops across the air, falling down onto the demon and catching it by the neck. The vampire holding the other end of it pulls back, all her strength going into stopping the demon from moving forward and catching Magnus. The Shadowhunter swiftly uses the opportunity to strike a fatal blow.

He has no time to admire the _thing_ , the line, which shimmers in the night lights. It's time to end the last demon, which manages to force him to roll out of the way. It lands a hit but it's no worse than a strong punch and a bruise will be easy to heal. No claws or teeth caught him. Still, it wouldn't do to let it gain upper hand. Magnus feigns his next move, tricking the demon into leaping at him instead of following him on the ground. The twin blades go through the demon's body but to make sure, Magnus pulls one out to try and cut its head off. Before the falling demon can make him lose his balance, the silvery line holds it back like it did the other demon. It's incredibly useful, Magnus thinks briefly. It would be great to have something like it in the Institute's equipment.

He has the time to step back to watch the remains of the slain demon fall apart onto the concrete in front of him. He hears nothing new coming at them and the vampire, who can see what's behind Magnus's back, doesn't warn him against anything. It's done, another fruitful hunt.

Magnus wipes his blades off and sheaths them.

"Most men ask where I've been hiding it." The vampire says, a playful smile on her red lips. She's coiling her strange line neatly.

" _I_ know every lady has her secrets," Magnus says.

She inclines her head, pleased with his answer.

"What do you think, Shadowhunter, have you worked enough to fill your statistics for tonight?"

"Do you have anything more you need help with?" Magnus is quite ready to be done for tonight with his duties. He's tired enough. Of course, he has separate reserves of energy for something _interesting_ to happen.

"Mmm, I might."

"Lead the way," he says.

*

Magnus knows this area. He knows who lives in the beautiful townhouse they're currently approaching. What he doesn't know is why the woman would lead him here.

She doesn't ring the bell, she doesn't even take out a key. She pushes the handle, letting herself inside and looking back over her shoulder at him. "Come on."

Magnus follows. 

 

They walk in on a scene like this: Clary, Jace and Alexander sit at a table covered with a map and some papers to the side. Strange items that are probably magical tools lie on a piece of dark velvet, currently unused. Clary and Jace sit very, very close to each other while Alec is only close enough to comfortably look at the same part of the map.

Of course, the map is forgotten once they see the newcomers.

"Izzy, what-" Alec starts to ask but doesn't get to finish.

"I found him wandering the city alone and I thought I could invite him for a drink," the vampire answers lightly.

"You don't take Shadowhunters _home_ , Iz. They need to stay in the wild." Jace says.

Clary just waves hello at him.

"Seriously, did something happen?" Alec looks ready to stand up.

"Nope. You can relax, go back to analyzing." The vampire waves her hand dismissively. "Come, I'll make you a drink," she tells Magnus.

Magnus follows, still not sure what he's doing here and what _Izzy_ wants from him but she grabs him by the wrist and he knows better than underestimate a vampire's strength.

They enter a kitchen with a little dining space. She lets go of him and goes around a kitchen isle that looks a little like bar counter with tall stools to sit on.

"So. Izzy… as in Isabelle? Lightwood? Sister?" Magnus starts.

"That's right. Didn't you guess?"

"I suppose I didn't consider it a _possibility_ because I've never heard of something like this. For a warlock to have _any_ siblings and then for them to be immortal too… And even if I did guess, I wouldn't have known your name. You two do look familiar, though. I can see that."

"Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know my name. Alec doesn't go around mentioning his family to people who aren't our friends. And I know, we're quite the exception in the Downworld." She pauses. "There are _more_ interesting things to know about us… but that's better left for later dates."

She winks at him. Magnus is about as confused by her as he is excited for the opportunity to get closer to Alexander. What better way than befriending his sibling? Jace wouldn't work for that purpose so Magnus is rather pleased to discover there's more of them.

"I thought you would have recognized me, though," she continues. "There are paintings of me in the house and I know you've been here."

"Oh. Then I might see them if you give me a tour. The last time I tried my best not to be _nosy_ when the High Warlock was already… discouraging."

She snorts at that. She's moving around the kitchen with obvious familiarity as she takes out a tall glass and a cocktail glass. Magnus doesn't pay attention to what she's making for him, he looks around the place instead. When she opens the large, very modern fridge, he spots a whole stash of blood bags on one shelf. The rest of the contents are various foodstuffs. She takes one bag out and sets it on the counter, then takes out a lime and some kind of syrup. In no time she has a red drink for herself in the glass complete with a strawberry on the rim. In front of Magnus stands his own non-bloody caipirinha.

"Rest first, tours later." She says.

Magnus sips from his glass slowly. He doesn't often get to be inside a _house_. The Institute is not a home in the usual meaning and there rarely is a mission which would require them walking into Mundane homes. What Magnus is used to, are rooms like in a dorm. Thankfully they don't have to share them after reaching a certain age but it's still communal living.

He sometimes imagines how it would be like to have a large space to himself, to fill it with things he liked, to fill it with music he liked. Fill his own fridge. He wonders how it would be like to live by his own rules all the time. Not that he wants to drop being a Shadowhunter. Not at all. He loves doing the work, he knows how crucial it is to their world. He doesn't enjoy not having anything to do. But, if he could do it with less paperwork, with fewer people watching their every action from their seats in Alicante... if he could sometimes choose for himself what was more or less important... that would truly be great.

They slip into easy small-talk, exchanging observations about the city, the Downworld and the Shadowhunters. After this short time with her, Magnus thinks they might be very similar in how they're able to divide their attention between work and fun.

"Iz, what are you _doing_ with him?" comes Alexander's voice, nearly startling Magnus. Speaking of the devil who doesn't seem to know the word fun, the warlock stands in the entrance to the kitchen, looking between Magnus and his sister.

"Just showing him we appreciate his service for the city," Isabelle replies.

"Right. Can he finish his drink and go?" The warlock illustrates his request by pointing to the door.

"Don't be rude, Alec."

"I'm not, I'm saying he can _finish_ and go."

Isabelle rolls her eyes, to which Alec crosses his arms, standing where he is like an unmovable object.

"Tell him about what we found," Isabelle says.

"I'm telling it to Lucian Greymark, _tomorrow_."

"I've brought you a pretty delivery boy so you don't have to bother _tomorrow_." She mocks his tone while she makes a wide gesture at Magnus as if showing him off.

"Fine," Alec snaps. "If you want to know something new, Shadowhunter, come to the map."

Alec goes back towards the main room but in the time that takes Magnus to get off his comfy barstool and grab his drink to take with him, the warlock does a 180 and walks back into the kitchen. Magnus stops before they can run into each other and gives Alexander a questioning look.

"Are they kissing?" Isabelle asks.

"They're kissing." Alex sighs. Then, walking around Magnus, he says: "Make room, please." He points at the space on the counter. Isabelle picks up her drink and then moves a few utensils lying there.

Alec makes a wide gesture, freeing a magical wave from his hand. It covers the counter, replacing empty space with the same items Magnus has seen on the table before.

"Summoning circles were found here and here." Alec gets to the point right away, pointing at dots marked in colors on the paper. "One was average size, could have been used for summoning demons to do the summoner's bidding. The other, however, was larger and more intricate. I've requested a consultation with a warlock who specializes in summonings to confirm my suspicions."

"All right, until then, what do you want us to do?"

"Be on the lookout for more remains of circles and pentagrams. We need to know if there are patterns, how many warlocks are doing it and how many copycats try to mess things up for us."

Magnus nods. "We'll pay extra attention to those."

Alec straightens and runs his hand through his hair. "This is the worst. Not only is everyone in danger, but it's also a danger brought on us by our own kind."

Magnus wants to touch his arm. He doesn't, but he says: "We know that majority of Downworlders are uninvolved in this or they're trying to help like you do."

Alec meets his gaze. "Thank you but it has never been enough for the Clave in the past. If we do something good but small, it isn't even noticed. Something bad but small is noticed right away and something _this big_ …"

Isabelle appears at Alec's side puts a new half-full glass in his hand. Alec sighs and moves to half-sit, half-lean on one barstool while Magnus tries not to stare at his long legs, one bent to rest on the stool's footrest and the other outstretched in front of him.

"We've had enough trouble from vampires lately," Alec complains and Magnus has a feeling he didn't even mean to say that in his presence.

"Alec, I've told you _we'll_ deal with it," Isabelle says firmly. "We already are dealing with it. For once don't make everything your issue."

The warlock makes a dismissive sound. "I know you're working hard, Iz. I'm just not sure the same can be said about Meliorn. From what _I_ know, he's been seen in the club even more than usual."

"My dear, overworked, serious brother," she says, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "I know you _still_ don't believe that business can be made at the same places you go to for pleasure. It's like you're twenty, still."

She puts her chin on his shoulder.

Alec rolls his eyes, trying half-heartedly to dislodge her arms from his body but she only holds on tighter.

"Tell him, Magnus." Isabelle looks at him. "You look like someone who knows how to balance work and fun."

Magnus opens his mouth to speak but Alec doesn't let him. "Leave the Shadowhunter out of this. They have even more work than we do right now. Anyway, Clary was waiting for you all day so you probably should go ask her what she needed."

"Didn't you just say she's _busy_?"

"Yes. You go there, ask what she wanted, separate them _please_."

"Fine, I'm going. At least make a portal for Magnus to get back faster so he can sleep."

"I will," Alec replies.

Isabelle kisses him on the cheek and then waves at Magnus. They watch her disappear back into the main room.

"May I at least finish this?" Magnus asks.

"Haven't I already said so? Why do you even still have some left?" Alec eyes the glass. He puts his own on the counter after barely taking a sip from it.

"I'm drinking for company, not looking to get smashed. So, Alexander, why did you chase your poor sister out? We were going to become friends."

Alec snorts. "My _poor_ sister is anything but that. She's a menace."

"She's lovely."

The warlock's eyebrows rise.

"Don't worry, darling, I met _you_ first." Magnus grins.

Alec blinks, then his expression goes blank. "No no, go ahead. The two of you are worth each other."

It delights Magnus to hear his joking tone for a change. "In that case, we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll go check out the club where the vampires hang out."

"That's a great idea. Especially if you go in alone." The deadpan tone continues. Alec is sitting a little more comfortably now, something about his body less tense.

"I'll have you know that clubs are where I've _never_ been in trouble. Or _had_ trouble having fun." Magnus grins.

"I'm sure. I don't know why you're sharing this nugget of knowledge with _me_."

"Maybe I'm hoping you'll offer to join me to keep an eye on me." Magnus tilts his head, looking at Alec from under his lashes.

"You couldn't pay me enough to do that. I've babysat enough in my life."

Magnus immediately latches onto that piece of information and it's clear in Alexander's eyes that he also realized his mistake. He raises his hand before Magnus can ask the first question.

"No bedtime stories for you tonight. My day has been long enough."

Okay, Magnus knows better than to be pushy and he's already making plans for the future. He says nothing when the warlock opens a portal for him right in the middle of the kitchen. 

"Goodnight, Alexander. Tell your sister I enjoyed meeting her. It was lovely to see you, too."

"Goodnight, Magnus," Alexander stresses the first word but somehow Magnus's name comes out softer from his lips.

Magnus goes home, carried by the swirling magic.

 

He wishes it was as easy to talk to the High Warlock as it usually is with other people. Be inviting, amuse them, give them an opening. Back off when not accepted. Only, he didn't feel like Alexander was 'letting him down gently'. He didn't feel like he was being rejected. Is he supposed to keep trying?

 


	4. Nights and Evenings

When Magnus comes to visit the next time, the High Warlock isn't there. It's not because he sensed Magnus coming; he was called to a magical-medical emergency and Magnus definitely isn't _too_ disappointed. Only a little bit.

Since Alexander is not there to disapprove, Isabelle, who was the one to open the door, lets Magnus in with a smile on her face.

Magnus finds he likes her quite a bit, despite having spent only a little time with her. Not quite like other vampires, she seems to have been shaped by life differently. After all, there aren't many vampires who can boast having two living members of their family, being there for them through everything. It's remarkable.

Isabelle has definitely acquired many characteristics that only vampires have and her natural beauty is amplified by vampiric _charms_. If Magnus has met her first… No, actually, probably nothing would have come out of it except possibly some fun. Sometimes you meet someone and you know you're meant to only be friends. Or rather, you meet someone and you feel you could be great friends, and Magnus always looked forward to those little revelations because they come too rarely.

Isabelle is happy to give him a tour of the house and this time Magnus pays attention to everything, especially the paintings. There are a few big pieces which he had known where there but he hadn't looked closely enough to realize who was on them. Beautifully done portraits of all three of them: Alexander, Isabelle and Jace took up space on the walls separately and together. They're done in various styles and are obviously from various eras.

In the warlock's home, surely hiding many very, very old things, Magnus particularly appreciates the large portrait of Isabelle in a burgundy, layered and wide gown, her long hair done up in the style that reigned at the same time such dresses had. She has a fan in her hand and there are fruits and a glass of wine on a round table in front of her, to her left. Was it really wine at the time of the painting? He won't ask.

She notices him admiring the particular painting and offers him the name of the artist. "I enjoyed posing for this one but when Alec had his own portrait painted, he complained a lot. He was, apparently, told to look less like a storm cloud… I didn't hear it because it was painted during the day but it's needless to say I felt for the artist."

Magnus is slowly coming to appreciate the stormy cloud on Alexander's face, if only because it's becoming a familiar sight and Magnus knows it's not going all the way, deep down.

"It's in his office, if you're wondering. The painting, that is."

Magnus chuckles. He wonders if he'll get a chance to see it.

He moves on to photos. He finds a black-and-white one of Alexander and Jace where they sit in what must be a small town's main square. Church tower is visible in the background. Judging by the architecture, it must be Europe and it's only more obvious with the uniforms they're wearing that this must be during the Second World War. There's a third man with them and that man and Jace are grinning while Alexander only offers a smile. It does look genuine, though. Magnus wonders how likely it is the third man is a warlock, too, and they'd met in Europe. The Clave likes to keep tabs on warlocks, especially powerful ones, but it lacks information such as this: how often and how much have magical beings been helping Mundanes during the course of history?

Magnus recalls the photo he saw in the High Warlock's files, of him and the woman in the 40s or 50s. Now he knows the woman must have been Isabelle.

 

Isabelle herself is looking at the photos fondly, even though she must have looked at them a thousand times before.

She lets Magnus look in silence until he reaches a family portrait that has one more person on it. This particular portrait hangs in the hallway to the west side of the house, and as far as Magnus knows it leads to the private rooms of the occupants of the house. There must also be stairs somewhere in there but the corridor turns a corner and Magnus doesn't know what's around it. The point is, the family portrait is placed in the more private part and Magnus doesn't need to be told it's more precious. He looks at the person on it, who he doesn't know yet.

As black-haired as the other Lightwoods, the young man is taller than Isabelle but shorter than Alexander. He's lankier than Alexander but the clothes hide it. Magnus keeps to himself his opinions on old (very old) fashions but at least none of the Lightwoods seem to be wearing wigs as had been the norm at some points of history. Their dark hair always stood out.

"That's our brother," Isabelle says. "He lived and died a Mundane. He knew all about the Shadow World from us, of course. He often used knowledge of both worlds in his work."

Magnus takes the new information in. The Lightwoods are even more of a strange family than he thought. In fact, they only need a werewolf in the mix somewhere to hit a Shadow World bingo.

"He always studied very hard," Isabelle continues talking, her voice showing her fondness of her brother. "Whatever it was that he was interested in at the moment, he always found out all about it. We all moved to a city which had a university at the time so he could study. Eventually, he became a lecturer and a professor. We were very proud. Now he'd have the internet and all the knowledge at his fingertips."

Magnus isn't sure what to say. He's curious to know more and at the same time, he feels the human need to say he's sorry for their loss… but is there a point to do it when the man in question has been gone for literally hundreds of years?

"It's not a sensitive topic for us," Isabelle says. "You can ask Alec about him but he might not be in the mood to say anything. It makes us sad because we'll always miss him but he'd lived a long life."

"I get it." Magnus answers. Then, he decides to ask what interests him the most: "He wasn't interested in being like you?"

Isabelle understands his meaning.

"Well, I was a special case. I'll tell you about it one day. No, he didn't want to be immortal. He was happy with what he had."

Their conversation has to end when a portal opens in the living room and Jace and Clary come home. They weren't expecting to see Magnus hanging out in the house but Clary shows some enthusiasm in her greeting, unlike the blond warlock. He only raises his eyebrows at the sight of Magnus and then asks Isabelle if Alec's home.

He hears no, which makes him look at his sister curiously but he just shrugs and moves on without saying anything else.

Magnus goes back to the Institute soon after that, thanking Isabelle for the talk.

He wonders about it all later in his room. He knows loss, he knows death. He's a Shadowhunter. What he finds difficult to comprehend is the stretch of time… He thinks about how all the Lightwood family has from the past are a few paintings and probably personal items of their late family members. Other than that, they only have memories.

Magnus was born to the modern world, growing up with the technology Institutes developed to let the Nephilim do their work better. He grew up knowing Mundane devices. Within a year of meeting people who become his friends, he has whole folders of photos with them and of them (that he's holding for future blackmail, but that's a secret). More importantly, he can have videos of anyone he cares to record himself with. He can't imagine having a sibling, losing them and not even having one stupid video of them for the hundreds of years to come.

* * *

By what Magnus considers a stroke of luck, they end up going out one night. Alexander firmly insists it's for professional Downworld-Shadowhunter relations but Magnus is giddy inside for the opportunity. The opportunity came from a new lead, some sort of information that the vampires acquired accidentally and then realized it was connected to the demonic mess in the city. Even vampires can pretend to be indifferent and unaffected only for so long. A strong enough demon is a threat to them as well, no matter how long they insist they're above all that.

Magnus got the call that he should show up for a meeting because the vampire leaders are interested in passing the information on. The call was from Alexander himself and Magnus carefully takes note of every time that the High Warlock could have called Lucian but chose to contact Magnus instead.

 

They meet at a club. _The_ club, which should be the last place a solitary Shadowhunter would go to. Magnus isn't bothered by that because he's not solitary: he has the High Warlock as his company.

Once they're together in the meeting spot, he calls Alexander an escort to tease him and earns himself an eye-roll but Magnus can't hold back a smile every time the warlock leads the way.

That night, Magnus gets to meet Meliorn, the leader of the New York vampire clan. Alexander tells Magnus a little about him before they get there; There are some who don't care for his rule but in general, he's accepted mostly because he gets things done and hates a needless mess. Magnus can see how Alexander would appreciate that.

"It helps that Izzy approves of him," Alec adds. "And it helps him that she's there and that I'm her family."

"I bet."

 

The vampire leader is frankly attractive, which is not a surprise for a vampire. Magnus is glad he didn't have time to put any dye in his hair today because he'd have hated to show up wearing the same thing as the host – Meliorn has blue in his hair and much more of it than Magnus usually prefers for himself.

Isabelle, dressed in a short red dress and a black, lacy bolero shrug, sits beside him and they're talking, laughing at something when Alexander comes in with Magnus.

They're seated on a leather sofa and there are matching leather armchairs and puff seats around for the guests, such as Alec and Magnus. After exchanging greetings, they're encouraged to take a sit and ask for a drink.

Both Meliorn and Isabelle already have their own drinks beside them on the small tables on both sides of the sofa, both half-finished and blood-red. A lot of the furniture around is more artsy than practical but Magnus likes the taste of whoever set up the room overall. It's a statement.

They get to business only after Meliorn makes a few observations about Magnus's presence and his person. The Shadowhunter doesn't read actual hostility or dislike in the words and he can see himself getting used to the vampire leader's way of being. Eventually. Isabelle's presence helps matters a lot.

Alexander gives his sister a warm look but he's holding himself rather stiffly, all business-like. Magnus itches to put a hand on his shoulder or his hand to soothe him.

The news is that some clan members have seen things Shadowhunter patrols haven't run across yet, such as relatively fresh summoning circles and some shady persons nearby have been noticed. They were left alone to escape because being part of the Shadow World, the vampires could sense dark energy off of them.

Alexander and Magnus exchange glances. They're both thinking that those people may have been warlocks doing the summonings.

They take as many details as Meliorn has to offer and they reach an agreement for the immediate future to share information and possibly offer aid if it happens to be needed. It's all very careful and mostly practical. It's not an official deal and it's made as a courtesy. Magnus imagines that without the High Warlock it would have taken much more time and possibly vampire deaths before they'd come to this point. But it doesn't matter what would have been. Magnus does his best during the meeting to give the vampire leader as good an impression of Shadowhunters that he can without acting unlike himself.

 

After it's over, Magnus doesn't like how they still have nothing solid and no identifying details but Alexander is interested in the dark photos of the circles which were snapped by two vampires who found them. Maybe something will come out of it. They're given a thumb-drive with them and Isabelle mentions wanting to discuss some details with Alec later that night when she comes home.

Meliorn was much more interesting than Magnus expected him to be and he didn't have many of the… bad qualities the Shadowhunter has expected from him. Still, both he and Alec prefer to leave sooner rather than later. Not because of the leader but because of the other vampires, for whom Magnus was an unwelcome guest.

 

Magnus is not surprised at all when they run into obnoxious trouble not far from the club. Three vampires come out to block their way, their eyes focusing mostly on him but they're not happy about Alec, either.

Magnus tenses, his instincts kicking in, but he remembers who he's with. He probably should let Alexander, a Downworlder, speak first. His eyes stay on the threat.

His expectation is right and Alec does just that, he talks.

"Please go on your way, we're done here and going home," he says, keeping his hands in his pockets. Magnus can hear the very slight hint of irritation in his voice.

"Once you let them come in, they'll be circling back like flies," the vampire to the right says coldly.

Magnus doesn't like the tone and he certainly doesn't like being pointed at by anyone.

"They've been everywhere lately, looking into every corner and making the rest of us nervous for no reason."

Alec's eyes narrow.

"No reason? That you've seen multiple Shadowhunter teams and no demons makes you incredibly lucky and I believe you should thank the Institute for that," he replies with a calm that isn't honest. "You might do it by thanking Magnus, who's right here to hear it."

Magnus would much rather not be thanked for anything and he'd much rather get rid of the vampires soon. He doesn't care for their accusations and for their eyes on him.

He doesn't really care when one of them throws a snide comment his way about his looks and "how is this one even a Shadowhunter?". Magnus is pretty sure some of it was directed at his race and not just the eyeliner and the earring he's wearing.

It's not news to him and he certainly isn't much affected by the words of some vampires he's never even seen before. What he doesn't like, however, is their body language. Magnus is far too experienced to ignore the way they seem ready for some real trouble.

Meanwhile, the High Warlock takes offence to what they've just said about Magnus. His head tilts as if he didn't hear right.

"I understand that now you're going to apologize for that and _then_ thank him?"

"No, but we can do everyone a favor and make sure he and his kind stop coming around here."

That, Magnus thinks, is the moment they come at him and Alexander. His own muscles twitch, his hands going to the handle of one of his seraph blades- and nothing happens. His arm doesn't move when he wills it to. Adrenaline rushes through his body. Has he been encantoed? Surely not, he'd have known and he's always been good at resisting such influences. Then what…?

Even though he can't move and he isn't holding a weapon because of that, there isn't an attack coming to take advantage of his vulnerability. The vampires all stand where they were, their expressions now a mix of surprise and anger.

Magnus realizes, then, that they can't move either.

"Well, that has been a fruitless encounter so I believe we need to be on our way before more of the night is wasted," Alexander says, his tone suddenly lighter and he turns to Magnus to put his hand on the small of his back as if to guide him. The moment he touches him, magic sparks through Magnus and he finds he can move. He goes with the gentle push of Alexander's hand.

The warlock makes an exaggerated circle around the stuck vampires, who are now outraged but can't do anything about it except hurling more insults at them. Magnus doesn't even say anything, doesn't spare them a look, his thoughts all on the warlock at his side.

Alexander used magic without moving. Magnus hasn't seen him move a finger, his hands were in his jacket pockets all the time for warmth. And yet, he immobilized four people around him. How has Magnus not felt it happen? He definitely felt the spell _stop_ , though. It's impressive and if Magnus didn't already have certain other feelings about Alexander, he'd be feeling reasonable fear.

For now, he soaks in the sensation of the hand on his back, which Alec keeps there even though they're already away from the vampires. When he opens a portal for them to go home, he guides Magnus through it.

They appear in the living room of the High Warlock's house. They both enjoy the warmth of the interior and Alexander steps away to take his jacket off.

"That was impressive what you did there," Magnus says, finding his voice again. "Not surprising, I suppose, for someone who's seven hundred years old."

Alec looks at him sideways from where he's standing by his table, summoning warm drinks to it.

"I'm not going to deign this obvious fishing for information with a reply."

"Hmm. Another try will be better, then."

"Sure, you can try," Alexander agrees, handing Magnus a mug.

It's interesting, Magnus thinks, how in the time that passed since he first showed up with Dot on the High Warlock's doorstep their interactions changed. From the bare civility from Alexander to him giving Magnus hot drinks instead of sending him on his way… And it didn't go unnoticed by the Shadowhunter that Alexander could have just sent him to the Institute in the first place. They didn't have any work left to do tonight which would require staying together and the photos from the vampires are a task for a warlock, not a Shadowhunter.

So Magnus holds his tea, which tastes like it has something more in it, and he enjoys the moment while it lasts.

He stubbornly ignores the proof that they're not alone in the house. He's heard voices from the direction of the kitchen after they stepped out from the portal but so far the voices stayed there and Magnus and Alec stayed in the living room.

When the warlock sits in the armchair heavily, Magnus sits on the couch. Alec is sending glances his way and Magnus very much hopes he isn't thinking of saying anything about what the vampires have said about Magnus. He doesn't need cheering up about it and he doesn't want to be made to think about it more than he already had.

Intuition is telling him that the warlock wants to speak up and this time, for once, an interruption isn't such a bad thing.

"Hey, how did it go?" Jace throws the question Alec's way when he walks into the living room. Clary follows, looking beautiful with her floral shirt and green pants.

Alec rubs his face. "I guess it can be said we're getting somewhere with Meliorn but that's not news."

Then he pauses before grumbling, "I still don't like the vampires."

He takes a sip of his tea.

"You don't like anyone," Jace says matter-of-factly.

"I like werewolves," Alec replies as if that's a proof of anything. He says it after a pause, which doesn't exactly help his claim sound honest.

"Yeah, only because Lydia moved back to New York," Jace counters in a neutral tone but in his eyes is a little spark of mischief.

"Oh?" Magnus perks up, all attention on the blond.

Clary picks up on his interest and she doesn't let that go. "Lydia is the werewolf alpha. Not just of one pack, either."

"You just said she moved _back_?" Magnus looks to Jace.

Jace nods. "Family matters. She had to leave for a longer time to take care of her mother but her husband stayed in New York the whole time."

"And Alexander likes her?"

Jace snorts. "The city is the quietest when both of them are present in it."

Alec clears his throat.

"You should probably meet her sometime. You're honest about wanting the relations between Shadowhunters and Downworlders to improve so you're going to need her. Lucian and Maia can't carry everything on their own and as far as I know not many other Nephilim are interested."

"And since I already know the High Warlock and I've met the vampires... I might as well meet with the wolves." Magnus finishes the thought. Then, ignoring Alexander completely, he addresses Clary and Jace. "So… They're like a Downworld power-couple?"

"Hmm... Yeah!" Clary confirms enthusiastically while Jace makes an amused sound at his brother's expense. The Seelie girl and the blond warlock exchange glances and whatever is unspoken between them, it seems to amuse them even more.

"Well, in that case," Magnus says, "what would you say would be a fitting occasion to meet Lydia?"

"I can't think of one off the top of my head… The places she's going to be are pretty much off limits to Shadowhunters, sorry."

Just because Magnus managed to build some personal relation with the High Warlock and just because his sister happens to be near the top of the local vampire hierarchy doesn't make _Magnus_ special to the Downworld. He still is a Shadowhunter and everything that is thought about Shadowhunters will be thought about him, too.

"She's a good alpha because she keeps werewolf matters strictly to the pack and they like it that way," Jace adds about Lydia. "Now that she's back in time for demon attacks, she'll be surely getting involved in that like everyone else."

He glances at his brother. "Just ask Alec to introduce you, if you're so interested."

* *

Isabelle comes home later that same night and finds her brother in a t-shirt, shorts and bathrobe on top of that but not sleeping yet. He's in his room but since she can hear the pace of his heartbeat and knows he is awake, she knocks on the door.

Each of them always knows who's knocking. It's a thing they've unintentionally developed and learned, and then accepted as a useful fact; each of the siblings, including Max, knocked in a distinct way that was only obvious to them thanks to decades of being together.

Alec answers her knocking, saying "Come in". He's been wondering if she'd be back later after he fell asleep or sooner to talk about research.

When she comes in and sits on his bed, her expression doesn't show much interest in work. Instead, she's smirking.

"So, how was your evening with Magnus?"

Alec looks at her blankly. "We left the club, we went home."

"Mhm. You mean you both went to _our_ home because I'm sure I just smelled a hint of his cologne in our living room."

Alec shrugs as if it's not up to him to explain the presence of anyone's perfume anywhere.

"So? Did you invite him home and made him a drink?"

Alec looks at the floor. "I made him tea."

Izzy's smile widens. "That… is so sweet."

Alec has known his sister for too many years to try and end the conversation now when she's so interested. She's always been interested in his love life – gods know why, when he very much doesn't want to hear about anything they're doing together with Meliorn – and he knows she's protective of him. He'd rather be left alone to handle his own feelings, which would mean ignoring them, but he can always expect her to encourage him... But he doesn't want any encouragement where Magnus is concerned. He wishes he could ignore the Shadowhunter, too.

"Wait... You're blushing _now_?" Isabelle asks, incredulous. "I can't believe you. If you're not going to give him a green light in a clear way, the least you can do is be red because of what _he_ says where he can see it, not me."

Alec's torn between being exasperated, embarrassed and trying to be cool about the whole thing, because it's not as simple as liking a man.

"Iz… he's a Shadowhunter."

"Yeah! A pretty one." Then, she says softer: "They're not all bad anymore, you know that. It's okay to be involved with them. And don't you think I don't know your heart picks up when he shows up."

The blush gets hotter in his cheeks. He really wants to deny it but he cannot do in good conscience. Not in front of his sister.

He mumbles something about work and that there are demons to think about, not attractive men.

* * *

 

There is a lot happening in the days after that. The warlocks study the summoning circles, Shadowhunters hunt, vampires keep an eye out every night for more for warlocks to study and for Shadowhunters to hunt.

Magnus spends a lot of time with a team, responding to any kind of tip about suspicious figures. They do catch one warlock one night but after a few hours of questioning it turns out he was stupid enough to do his own shady rituals right in the city when literally everyone but Mundanes is on high alert. The warlock is told he'll spend a few days in the holding cells to keep him off the street while everyone does their job.

The High Warlock is informed via fire message and he sends one back, agreeing that since he's currently occupied, it's best that the one caught under suspicious circumstances should spend some time under watch. It's only fair.

Normally, Alec would show up right away to handle his warlocks' matters instead of leaving them to the Shadowhunters, however, unfortunately for this one, Alec has no time nor desire to suffer fools at the moment. So long as Lucian Greymark is at the helm of the Institute and so long as Alec can trust him, Maia and Magnus to inform him if it's necessary, he'll let the detained man wait it out while the others work.

The rest of the week passes quickly for everyone but for the amount of work they do, everyone wishes they'd see more results, too. It's not like they're getting nothing at all, but so long as there are still demons and the danger from them, nothing will be enough.

* * *

 

When Magnus comes knocking on the townhouse's door on a Sunday, it's Clary who lets him in. She's in a bathrobe, her expression tired, her hair braided as usual but pulled back in a low-effort ponytail. She looks as if she was passing from a shower to maybe the kitchen and now was headed back to the bedroom to sleep and just so happened to hear Magnus knocking. He feels bad about disturbing her because she clearly had a lot happening that day but it's not like he'll be taking any more of her time than it takes to let him in.

Clary welcomes him with her usual cheerfulness and Magnus still isn't sure why she liked him from the start but he certainly enjoys it. Inviting him in, she tells him before he can even ask that Alec is home.

"Isn't he as ready to sleep as you are?" Magnus asks, staying behind the doorstep instead of walking in.

She waves her hand dismissively. "We weren't together today. I was working with Jace, Alec was in meetings all day, I think."

"Oh, in that case, I suppose I can ask him myself if I should come another time."

"He's in the kitchen, I think. Or was."

"Thank you."

She goes on her way to the western part of the house, hiding a yawn behind her hand as she walks.

Magnus goes to look for Alexander. He finds him soon enough, sitting by the dining table with a ball of magical light to brighten his immediate surroundings and a book in front of his eyes. He's bowed over the book, his cheek resting on his fist. The dark locks which are growing long fall onto his forehead a little, appearing softer than ever.

He doesn't see Magnus yet.

Magnus takes in the soft gray sweater that looks stretched out a little, showing a sliver of a collarbone. The sleeve on his right hand which rests on the table by the book is pulled almost to his fingertips, warming them. Those fingers are touching the edge of the pages gently, playing with them while the man reads down the page before turning to the next one.

Magnus thinks he might be a little in love with the High Warlock at that moment.

He knocks on the doorframe gently to bring attention to himself and Alexander looks up, his attention pulled away from the book. His eyes find Magnus and his face goes from questioning to surprise, to a slow smile. He was clearly expecting to see Clary or Jace, or Isabelle, and seeing Magnus there took some adjustment in his head.

The Shadowhunter steps closer.

"I'm not interrupting anything important, am I? Are you working?"

Alec straightens in his chair, the movement becoming a stretch of his back. A small groan leaves his lips.

"Uh, no. I just wanted to finish this," he gestures at the book. "It's research but… I probably should leave it for another day."

Then, he adds, "When I really have to pull long hours I go to where the Sun is out."

Magnus smiles.

"How practical. Very you."

Alec doesn't continue the topic of his work because he's had enough of it for today. Had Magnus not appeared, he'd probably have tired himself out needlessly for the rest of the night and would have regretted it the following day. Since the Shadowhunter is here, Alec forgets the book and looks at Magnus properly.

"I take it you're not coming from a patrol?"

Magnus is wearing a black jacket for the chilly night but it isn't the usual jacket he chooses for patrols and missions. This one comes with gold studs along the shoulder lines and gold stripes framing the zipper, which is currently unzipped, showing the dark purple shirt underneath.

"You noticed."

Alec tilts his head. "You're difficult not to notice."

"But is it good?"

"Do you care? I mean, what my opinion is?"

"I don't care what the bouncer in a club thinks. I don't care what a bunch of asshole vampires think. I do care what High Warlocks think of me."

Alexander huffs. "High Warlocks think a lot of things all the time about many things and many people. You shouldn't care about us too much, either."

"Well, I do. Just about this one."

Alexander isn't hiding the small smile on his lips, exactly, but he ducks his head. For an old and experienced being, he manages to show levels of softness and shyness that send Magnus's poor heart into palpitations sometimes.

"So." Magnus leans on the table, taking a look at the letters Alexander was reading upside-down. " _Am_ I interrupting or do you want to do something else than ruin your vision over old books?"

Alec's brow rises. He sits back, more relaxed now.

"And what is it you propose I do at this time of night?"

Magnus gives it some thought. "If you want to get out of here, I saw an open food-truck selling deep-fried candy bars two streets away."

Alec chuckles, surprised by the idea. "It was open at this time?"

"I guess there are more people desperate for fried candy at this time of night than you'd assume." Magnus shrugs, smiling. "Tell you what, if it's closed by the time we get there, I'll break in and figure out how to use the fryers just to make you one."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

Alec nods.

"Yeah, let's go."

 


	5. Shadowhunters, Warlocks and Demons

Things don't go Magnus's way after that evening. The evening itself was perfectly fine, just how he wanted it to be: a simple walk, some food in the middle of the night, an easy conversation that wasn't about the mess that New York was in. It was nice.

Magnus is an active person. He likes talking, he likes fun, he likes parties. But with Alexander, he finds it not tedious to just… _be_. He enjoys the silences between words, he enjoys the way Alexander speaks with his whole body even when his lips stay silent.

In short, Magnus finds himself matching Alexander's pace.

And it's fine, it's _good_ , even. He'll get his party music and his fun another day, with his friends. He thinks this has a chance of going somewhere.

But.

After that one night, Alexander seems to have taken a step back. At first Magnus takes it for plain lack of time and energy to meet; they're all still working, they're all sometimes too tired to even want to see people they _like_ , they honestly just want to sleep. But this is not that. Magnus just knows Alexander avoids him whenever there's a chance that they could see each other.

After a few missed opportunities and declined offers, Magnus knows better than to push. He'd never push anyone but especially not Alexander.

 

Standing by one of the computer screens in the ops room, while Maia brings up data and Catarina points out what she needs from it, Magnus complains about the unfairness of it even though they haven't asked for it.

"Am I being too coy? Too _vague_? Does he think I'm playing with him and he doesn't want to do anything with me anymore?"

Maia shoots him a sideways look.

"It's been literally two weeks. You expect him to what, swoon into your arms and kiss you?"

Magnus rolls his eyes.

"Two and a half weeks. And yes, I'd love a kiss but speaking seriously, I'd only like to not be… ignored."

Maia sighs, turning back to the screen but Catarina speaks seriously after she gives it some thought.

"You need to keep in mind that he's literally lived through centuries of homophobia. You were born in a better world. This is like a new change from his perspective."

"I know." Magnus sighs. He doesn't want to push Alexander at the cost of his comfort and general safety. He just… he just really wants him.

"I'm not sure it's _that_ , at all," he says. "I don't think that would have stopped him, not now, like you say, in a better world."

"Then maybe he got scared because he realized you're aiming for something more than he was willing to give. Magnus, do you really want to date him?" Catarina hesitates on the word date and when it's used in the context of Shadowhunters and High Warlocks. It sounds strange to Magnus, too, but what else should they call it?

" _Yes_ ," he says immediately and firmly.

"I bet he realized that. After _however_ many decades you must get really good at reading people, right? He's probably not blind. Being friendly with you was one thing."

"Look," Maia says, "if he wants to back off, just let him. If he wants to miss out on you, that's his loss. And I know you think you're losing something, too, but you guys haven't even _started_ yet. Don't get so hung up on a man."

They're right, obviously, and Magnus is hearing what he already knows. They drop that part of the conversation for the time being and focus on other matters.

 

Alone in his bed, Magnus thinks of Alexander's smiles.

* *

When the word goes through the Institute that the pack representatives would be visiting, Magnus stalks the corridor by the main entrance with the hope that Alexander would be visiting along with Lydia Branwell. It isn't unreasonable of him to think so since this would be a visit regarding the safety of the New York streets under the demon threat. Downworlder representatives could show up together.

The beautiful, blonde woman who comes in carries herself with pride that Magnus admires. She's perfectly put-together, hair smooth and her clothes without a wrinkle. She might as well be a CEO, not a pack leader. Which, Magnus realizes, might even be true. He hasn't researched her beyond her Downworld presence because her private life, beyond the information that her husband is also a werewolf, is not of interest to Magnus.

She comes with another werewolf, a young man who might be some sort of a protégé to her and is learning the art of diplomacy with Shadowhunters. They exchange greetings with Lucian and other Shadowhunters who welcome them and then they go to Luke's office to talk in private.

Magnus returns to planning his next team patrol.

*

The same evening, a few hours before the patrol, a fire message signed by Jace Lightwood brings the news everyone has been hoping for. One of the warlocks responsible for creating the summoning circles has been found in the act and as a result of the fight, killed. It isn't good that he was killed since information died with him but they got a new face and they got one less of these people harming others.

The Shadowhunters aren't as happy about it as they could be for one more reason: it wasn't _them_ who got the first breakthrough in the mission. Truthfully, many of the Nephilim think they should have all the wins and 'glory' with only assistance from the warlocks. Magnus enjoys competition quite a lot himself but he never based his worth on his blood alone.

Knowing the Lightwoods personally, he believes they must be enjoying this moment. And Magnus… well, he'd love to go and talk about this with Alexander but he's not going to go to the townhouse even with the excuse of wanting to congratulate Jace (and surely Clary, since they're like a pair of lovebirds). If Alexander regrets everything they've done so far, Magnus will give him the space to figure it out.

*

Alec sends out word to the warlocks he trusts not to be involved with anything to do with the demons and gives them the image of the killed warlock. Unfortunately, he doesn't get much in return. Three replies confirmed the man's name and with the name also came more or less vague descriptions. From them Alec understood the warlock was a loner who's always been strange. One of the warlocks wrote she'd felt uncomfortable around him but that had been some forty years ago and she wasn't sure if it'd been in his eyes or his aura…

Still, that sounded like someone who might be easier to turn to evil, should the evil want to turn him.

Alec knows all too well that some people, Mundane or from the Shadow World, don't need much to choose the wrong things but he also fears some of the warlocks involved aren't in it for personal gain but because they were possessed.

And so he keeps working, keeps looking.

* * *

The next lucky find is done by the Shadowhunters. It's exceptionally lucky because they manage to spot and follow two people, a woman and a man, who would light the 'suspicious' lamps in _anyone's_ mind. The team who finds them sends word back to the Institute and soon they're joined by another team, led by Magnus.

Before the reinforcements get there, the two warlocks get to their destination where they're joined by a third person.

It's hard to guess whether they didn't portal straight to the designated place because they've never been there or for some magical reason but following them gives the Shadowhunters the time they need to prepare.

Now, they can't arrest Downworlders just for walking in the shadows and they need more information about the summonings. No one plans on letting a potential summoning go through but without at least a partial circle drawn, they can't prove anything against these warlocks.

With two full teams handling this, it can't go wrong, right?

 

It goes wrong.

Not right away and not in a spectacular way, but it does.

*

Alec receives a call. It's under 'The Institute' label which means Lucian Gray but Alec didn't put his name in because if he wants to talk with Lucian the _person_ , he has other ways of contacting him.

'The Institute' calling always makes Alec anxious because it's never anything light and easy. He picks up immediately and he hears Maia's voice instead of Luke's. It's not the first time, what with her acting as Luke's right hand without holding any official position but today, Alec doesn't like it's her because it only makes him more worried.

"We need help," she says without leading in with a greeting.

"Where and how?"

She gives him the address and tells him they've found the suspects.

"We've thought there were fewer of them but more portalled over or have been concealed from the start." She pauses and Alec steels himself for more bad news.

"There are demons and an active portal," she says.

Alec curses. Jace, who's been sitting in the living room with him is looking at him intently, catching whatever he can hear from Maia's side of the conversation.

'Where?' Jace mouths at him.

"We're coming," Alec tells Maia. "Hang on and be careful with the demons."

He tells Jace where it's happening. "You go ahead, I'll send a message out to Clary, if they're calling us for help she might be needed, too. And Jace, don't let them mistake you for the enemy."

Jace doesn't waste any time, his portal already opening while Alec tells him the street. He goes through.

Alec hurries, grabbing a few potions he thinks might be useful. He hopes what he'll see when he joins them won't be as bad as he's currently imagining it but he's never unprepared.

 

In a way, it isn't as bad. He expected more destruction and casualties. Still, it's a mess, a _battlefield_ with already injured Nephilim doing their best to fight off demons and spells hurled at them.

The warlocks responsible for this are viciously fighting back but their magical reserves are not unlimited. They will grow desperate soon.

Alec doesn't have to look for his brother, he can sense his magic as if he could see it and hear it clearly among the magical fray of other spells. He takes in the whole place; the edge of a small park, a street that ends with a parking lot at the back of an older office building. The office and the nearby dry cleaners are luckily empty at this time. The traffic around is low but this is still part of the city and someone will be at the wrong place at the wrong time eventually.

Alec isn't sure if he wants to cast an additional concealing spell of this size or if it's best to use his magic to subdue the enemy right away and end it like that. He chooses to join the fight.

He blasts demons without even thinking about it but when he faces a person, he needs to try and knock them out or incapacitate them for the Shadowhunters to arrest them.

It isn't always possible. He ends up killing one, a particularly aggressive warlock. He doesn't enjoy it but it had to be done.

The Shadowhunters are tired and angry and he understands it, but he can see they also aren't aiming to kill right away unless necessary.

With Jace's assistance, Alec manages to reach the summoning circle from which new creatures keep coming. It's large, its patterns complicated. He pushes his magic to disrupt it, close it, destroy the circle. Jace watches his back while he works.

Then, it's done and the ominous light in the pattern fizzles out.

Alec knows when their Seelie appears. She needed a little more time to get here but she's now there to help. Leaving Jace to join her, Alec turns to help the Shadowhunters.

The fighting doesn't end as soon as Alec would like but it does end eventually. He's certain some of the lesser demons escaped, choosing self-preservation over lust for blood but those will be dealt with later. The larger ones keep being a threat and without a spoken agreement, the Shadowhunters and the High Warlock divide tasks- Shadowhunters surround the demons while Alec and Jace, and Clary, fight magic with magic.

In the end, out of the seven enemy warlocks that were there, three remain alive, one of them even conscious. Alec carefully casts a binding spell on each of them to make it safe for the Shadowhunters until they can contain them in cells.

 

It's quiet in the aftermath of the battle.

The only spells still active are his, Jace's and Clary's Seelie magic. Telling the two of them to start handling the cleanup, Alec goes to check over the Shadowhunters themselves. He knows at least two were killed but he hopes not more than that. It's probably a stupid hope.

One of the warriors nearby is on the ground, her side singed and her leg probably broken. Another Shadowhunter lends her her jacket to pillow her head.

Not asking if she wants help, Alec crouches beside her and sends out healing magic to mend her bones and heal her skin. She and her friend thank him when he's done and he moves on.

At this point, there are more Shadowhunters around who couldn't have been here sooner. They're tending to their wounded, the glow of activated runes is distinct in the dark caused by burst street lamp bulbs.

Alec would go back to join his brother to help fixing the area before Mundanes can see the physical damage but then he sees someone. One of Magnus's ducklings is here and soon he recognizes another one. They're talking with some other Shadowhunter who isn't Magnus.

Alec stops. Magnus is the senior Shadowhunter, their team leader. If they are here, he must be too.

Alec looks around. He hasn't seen him during the fight. He didn't _have_ to, he couldn't look at the face of every single person present but… he would have recognized Magnus, would have recognized his body and his movement, even his fighting style.

Paying more attention, Alec makes a round of the place, looking at all the Shadowhunters standing or injured. The dead have been laid together, to be taken back soon. Magnus isn't one of them.

Alec keeps walking. He ignores it when someone asks him something, probably if he's all right.

Then, he finds him. Alec has to go to the end of the parking lot and between the office and the next building before he finds him, but he does in the end. There are scorch marks there on the concrete and the walls and the sight of them makes his blood run cold.

A Shadowhunter woman kneels over a body in the shadows, with only a witchlight to help.

Alec rushes forward, drops to kneel on the opposite side from her. Under Alec's own light spell, Magnus is pale, too pale, the contrast between his skin and the blood sprayed on it only making it worse. Most of the blood is from his head, his hair sticking together from it. He isn't conscious but he is alive.

His black clothes are covered in the dust of the street as if he's been dragged over it and the gray of the dust is broken up by dark smudges of demon ichor. There doesn't seem to be much of the ichor on his bare skin, except a little on his hands, mixed with his blood. One of the twin blades is nearby but Alec can't see the other one. It's not their main problem, though.

"Let me," Alec tells the woman. He vaguely recognizes her, must have seen her in the Institute before, long ago. She isn't an active fighter, she's one of their medical staff.

She looks up at him and upon recognizing the High Warlock, she lets him work. She'd already activated Magnus's runes and checked him over for broken bones.

"I think a demon threw him at the wall," she says. Remains of multiple demons, now nothing more than black stains on the ground, mark the fight Magnus was winning, until a point.

Alec's magic sinks into the Shadowhunter, easily healing what the Iratze didn't have the time to heal yet. The last of the scratches, bruises, sprained wrist, nothing major. Except for the head. Knowing that the amount of blood is deceiving in case of head wounds, Alec focuses on the original damage.

It's tricky. Healing always is. A warlock has the comfort of trusting magic as a power, he trusts his magic to work with his intention. Help the body, give it the boost, give it the support and the strength to heal in the shortest span of time possible. It's not like doing surgery.

What magic (or surgery) can't help is shock, trauma and other issues that are not purely physical. If Magnus hit the wall hard enough and isn't waking after runes have worked…

He isn't waking under Alec's magic, either. He isn't waking while Alec cleans the blood and dirt off his skin, hair and clothes.

Soon there are others who find them in the alley, the ducklings asking too many questions about Magnus's well-being. They're worried, they've never seen him like this.

"We'll take him to the Institute, make him comfortable and let him rest. He probably just needs the time." Catarina rises from her knees and Alec only nods.

Then, he shakes himself and offers all Shadowhunters who need it a portal straight home.

*

Alec goes with the Nephilim. He sends out a fire message first to get the warlock who's been working with them on the summoning circles to come to take a look before it's cleared off the Mundanes' space.

In the Institute, following Catarina, he eventually ends up sitting beside a hospital bed, Magnus lying in it still unconscious. Alec has offered to change his fighting gear to soft clothes with magic so the Shadowhunter wouldn't have to be moved around needlessly.

He's hooked up to the sensors, showing his vitals on the screens. They're not bad at all, except maybe the slow heart-rate, and there isn't anything a medic or a warlock could fix.

Sitting quietly, Alec waits.

*

Jace himself comes by, directed to the High Warlock by someone from the Institute and gives Alec all the news that he should know. Which, this soon after the fight, isn't much. The prisoners are recovering and not questioned yet, Alec's warlocks are working, Jace has helped them and talked with them in Alec's place.

Alec know he can trust others to do all that but he can only trust himself to watch over Magnus.

 

It isn't exactly easy to be left alone. He's not one of _them_ , he's not even recognized as Magnus's _friend_. No one knows how many times Magnus dropped by his house, no one knows they ate unhealthy food in the middle of the night out of a food-truck which was only open because the owner and his friends were celebrating a birthday of one of them.

No one knows that whenever Magnus showed up in the townhouse or by the demonic rifts, Alec's spirit lightened, as if the sparkle in Magnus's eyeshadow was able to light something inside Alec, too.

Magnus's friends don't know all that and they aren't happy that he appropriated one of the little chairs and took up space beside the bed. Especially the one young, scowling Shadowhunter seems to dislike Alec, and it's probably nothing to do with _what_ Alec _is_.

In the end, it's Catarina who tells them to come back in the morning. She shoos the ducklings away with all her authority in this part of the Institute. At their question why Alec is allowed to stay, she replies, "I might need the magical assistance – Magnus might need it."

Raphael scowls more but they do leave.

 

"I hope you're aware," Catarina says to Alec, "that I'm only letting you sit there because he's talked about you so much we were _this_ close to tracking you down ourselves."

"He talked about me?"

"We're his friends, he did mention you to us. I was the lucky one to hear him wax poetic about your hands, of all things, and how beautiful your magic is when you weave it."

Alec flushes, looking down at his hands. If only Magnus knew…

Catarina sighs with exasperation. "I don't know why you're here tonight but it's between you and him. If you want to stay, I trust you to look after his health but beyond that, I'll warn you not to hurt him."

Alec probably wouldn't take this from one of the other young Shadowhunters but this woman has a presence that makes him trust her skills and makes him care about her opinion. Kind and hard-working have always been his favorite characteristics in a person. Right now she's not giving Alec a particularly kind look but he knows how she looks at Magnus.

"I'm going to talk to him when he wakes," he says.

"Good. Unless you're counting on him being so out of it he won't even register what you're saying."

Alec frowns. "If he's out of when he wakes, I'll be helping him, not talking at him."

"Good." She repeats.

 

Alec doesn't enjoy Institute spaces. The infirmary is warm but the lights are cold, a little too sharp. Catarina dims them when she leaves the room. Runes decorate the frames of the windows and they're pretty in their shapes but they mean too many painful things to a warlock.

Which is why Alec was falling for Magnus against his will. He wasn't in love, not nearly that, but he felt himself _falling_ , felt almost like a physical sensation in the pit of his stomach.

Now he stands on an edge, not knowing which way he'd find more regrets. Back away like he has just tried to do and miss everything or go ahead and get hurt…

Warlocks and Shadowhunters don't have the luxury of flings, dates after dates, testing out relationships. It's funny, actually, that Mundanes are so much freer in that.

Alec wouldn't say this out loud. He knows what people would say: 'but you're immortal, you're free to have as many lovers as you want.'

It did work for Jace before he met Clary and it does work for Izzy. They have the weight of Downworlder blood on their shoulders but they managed flings just fine, especially within Downworld. Alec's heart isn't built this way.

 

He waits a long time for Magnus to wake up. During that time Catarina checks on them once but when she sees Alec sitting still awake, she decides not to come again. The infirmary is in its own wing, away from the noise of the ops room and the armory, where Shadowhunters going out for night patrols move around often.

There's the hum of ventilation near the ceiling, the very soft and low noise of the medical computers. Magnus doesn't stir through the night.

It's already morning by the time he opens his eyes and a groan leaves his lips.

Alec's awake, watching over him even though there's no need to, waiting for this exact moment.

Magnus doesn't move beyond lifting his hand to his face. He feels the pull of the sensor cables and slows the movement. Slowly, his brain catches up to reality and Alec watches his face throughout it.

"Good morning," he says. "How are you feeling?"

"Not… that great," Magnus admits. He closes his eyes against the daylight so Alec pulls curtains that weren't there before across the windows.

"You might feel sick, confused, slow," Alec says gently. "If you think you might throw up, tell me."

"It's not that bad." Magnus opens his eyes a crack.

"Alexander."

"Magnus."

A pause.

"Have you seen the fight?"

"Yes, I was called to come help. It wasn't pretty."

"No, it wasn't. It was worse than we expected when going in. Did Luke call you?"

"Maia. You don't need to worry about it now. Your team is fine, we've got arrests which will get us somewhere."

"Oh. That's good. When- I was alone and the demon was larger than I've seen. I didn't think I had much chance to make it out when it grabbed me."

Alec shakes his head. He lays his hand on top of Magnus's.

"You did your best and you survived."

The Shadowhunter looks at their hands, contemplative.

"I don't want you to be back just because you're feeling sorry for me," he says, startling Alec.

The warlock doesn't take his hand back.

"I'm sorry that I made you feel I was gone."

Magnus closes his eyes again.

"We weren't- we didn't even do anything together. There was nothing for you to be gone from."

"Then I'm sorry I didn't give us the chance sooner so there would be something."

"I still feel you're only saying it because of… this." Magnus looks at Alec and gestures at himself, especially at his head though the wound is long gone.

Alec looks down. Yes, it's part of it but… he would have done the same eventually, would have sought Magnus out to talk. Yes, it would have been later rather than sooner, but… Now he's worried he made it all worse because Magnus is, of course, right to call him out on it.

"I've heard relationships based on intense experiences never work," Magnus says then, his tone changed.

Alec blinks.

"That's _Speed_."

Magnus brightens.

"You know it?"

"You do realize it's stranger for you to know movies than me, right?"

Magnus huffs.

"As a Shadowhunter versus Warlock, yes, I suppose. For anyone who knows either one of us, it's _absolutely_ _strange_ you'd care to see anything so frivolous," he teases.

Alec shrugs. "I do take advantage of entertainment. I do relax sometimes. And I like the actors."

Magnus raises his brows.

"You like Keanu? Huh, I guess, it's not that hard to imagine you two would be friends, dark and brooding- wait, please don't tell me you _actually_ know him?"

"I don't know him."

"Right. Who am I talking to? I bet you only had important friends… like Pack Alphas and politicians and maybe some scientists."

Alec's exasperation grows, just like it had when he'd met Magnus the first few times. Still, his hand remains on Magnus's hand.

"My sister is the one with scientist friends."

"All right, so that leaves you with the politicians and all the other High Warlocks, and Downworlder VIPs. I bet your brother knows all the singers and actors."

"Fine, yes, I'm the one with stuck-up friends."

"That's not what I said."

"Not with words but your face said it clear enough because you were thinking it."

"So you're going to go on a date with me?"

Alec closes his eyes. Angel help him with these Shadowhunters because he's certainly not asking Hell to do it. Maybe it's the injury making Magnus so bold today but they can't pretend he isn't speaking about the main issue between them. The question: does Alec want to make anything more out of this?

"Yes, I'm going to go on a date with you."

"Good," Magnus says, smiling, but his eyes seem to be closing of their own accord at this point. More sleep will help him get on his feet sooner.

Still, he talks more.

"I won't make you regret it, Alexander," it comes out soft, quieter, as if he should be thinking it rather speaking out loud.

"I don't regret anything," Alec replies, also softer. "Except maybe keeping you up now."

"Hmm. I'll sleep. You just stay here."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe I had this written earlier but had to wait until the finale to get Underhill's first name lmao

When Magnus wakes up after his nap he's alone. _Mostly_ alone because soon enough Catarina shows up to check on him. She wants to let him go to his room, to maybe eat something because he must be hungry by now but she's not letting him go without making sure that no signs of any problem have been missed. Yes, he's been healed by both rune magic and warlock magic but they've agreed, Catarina and Alec, that head injuries were to be treated seriously even when they happened to a Nephilim.

Magnus appears to be fine. He is hungry and he's _not_ feeling fresh, focused and ready to work but those are things to be expected and since there are no headaches, dizziness and other concerning symptoms when he stands up on his own two feet, Catarina sends him on his way with strict doctor's orders to report any changes in how he's feeling.

Before Magnus can even get near the door out of the room, Alexander stands in it, surprised to see Magnus right there and walking towards him.

Magnus does _not_ report back to Cat how seeing Alexander changes how he's feeling right then. He assumed the warlock was gone, surely not having the time to watch over one sleeping man when there are demons constantly out in the city.

It's true, Alec did not have the time (though he wished he did) to sit around. So he got up and left to talk with Lucian Greymark about their next steps. They scheduled a meeting to which Alec will bring the results of warlock research of the large summoning circle if he gets it on time. They also went down to the cells to talk with the living captured warlocks.

All three were awake by then and when Alec stood in front of the glass, he could tell just by looking that one of them had been possessed. The warlock woman was behaving differently than the others, another woman and a man. Knowing that it could be just particularly good acting, Alec let his magic tell him the truth when a guard Shadowhunter opened the door for him to enter the cell. The woman let him cast the spell on her. In fact, she agreed to _anything_ that would keep her from another possession and she'd tell them everything to help stop the rifts and to keep others from getting possessed.

The problem was that the possession itself worked against her memories. They were fragmented, there were whole missing patches in her days but she was insisting she'd do her best to recall as much as possible in the following hours and days. She was even almost happy to know she would be kept under lock until it was all over and a decision would be made later about her future. Being in the Institute was probably the safest option for her, considering she did not remember the moment she was attacked and possessed and could not defend herself from it repeating. Alec could have her sent to warlock safe space but he didn't want to risk it. As long as he didn't know who and how many warlocks were involved, he decided that Institute cells would perfectly serve as neutral space, free of magic that didn't come from the Angels.

The other warlocks were the opposite of the woman. They were acting calm, they didn't want to talk except to let Alec know they despised him _and_ the position of High Warlock, who bows to the Shadowhunters and works with them.

Alec did not care to explain the intricacies of being a High Warlock to these people. He did not care to reason with people who were getting bystanders killed for some strange ideal they've talked themselves into following. They were getting other _warlocks_ killed. Werewolves, everyone else.

Unfortunately, that morning he didn't find out what exactly they were doing. He didn't find out who they were following or whether the leader was a powerful warlock or a demon, or a Greater Demon. That morning was too soon to get into proper interrogation - Alec hasn't slept yet and Lucian hasn't either, except for maybe an hour or two.

Alec wasn't sure how much he wanted to be involved in this. He hated when there was the need for interrogation but he was not a pacifist. He couldn't be.

He could put his trust in Shadowhunters and let the Institute handle this all on their own but his duty as the High Warlock wouldn't let him to not be there to at least watch. Besides, magic would be needed to make sure what was the truth.

Lucian offered a time they could meet again that same day after they got the chance to rest and then Alec left.

He left to go back to the infirmary to see if Magnus was awake.

 

And that's how he finds Magnus: very much awake and moving around, on his way out the door. Alec much prefers him this way. Seeing him sleeping and without the eyeliner and eyeshadow which were cleaned off along with his blood… it wasn't right. The image didn't sit right with Alec. He's gotten so used to the unusual Shadowhunter that he couldn't imagine him as anyone else.

Alec is glad they got to talk that first time Magnus woke and he feels lighter for it. Still, standing face to face with a Magnus who isn't bed-ridden and whose whole focus is on Alec… it reminds him how scary it is and why he'd tried to stay away.

Magnus smiles and speaks first. "Alexander. I thought you'd gone home."

"Soon," Alec replies. "It'd be rude to just leave without saying bye."

"It wouldn't have been rude at all," Magnus says lightly. "But it's sweet that you stayed."

Alec doesn't remind him he'd literally asked him to stay before his eyes closed a few hours ago.

"You must be feeling okay to be let out," the warlock says instead.

"Oh, I'm quite all right. I am hungry like a demon, however," Magnus admitted and then, grabbing the opportunity with both hands, he asks: "Will you walk me to the dining hall?"

Alec doesn't really hesitate before replying: "Sure. Of course. Lead the way."

Magnus is looking at him while they walk.

"You know it's just to make sure I don't collapse on my way. Wouldn't want me hitting my head again in an empty corridor."

He isn't even _trying_ to act serious.

"Of course." Alec, who is trying to act serious, fights a smile that's turning up the corner of his lips.

In the aftermath of the battle, Alec's presence today isn't strange in the halls of the Institute. He was aware of the eyes on him before when he went to see Luke and he's aware of it now but it's much easier to ignore when he has Magnus walking at his side.

No, Alec isn't forgetting that Magnus is a Shadowhunter himself, a Nephilim whose friends are also all Nephilim. Even so, he became his own man in Alec's mind: just Magnus with his lined eyes and his rings, which Alec needs to remember to ask about, if they're Adamas. Magnus is just himself and part of himself is being a Shadowhunter.

It's not the scheduled time for any meal so they're alone in the dining area. Alec eyes it, wondering where Magnus plans to get his food from. It's very likely there are cooks always around, always working on preparing the next meal for a whole building of people.

Alec stops Magnus from heading to the door that is probably the entrance to the kitchen. Why bother other people when Alec is right there? He tells Magnus to just sit at the table and once he does, looking at Alec curiously, the warlock calls the food to them. It's enough for two because Alec certainly did not think about eating since the middle of the night and if he was sitting down anyway, he might as well eat something.

Magnus investigates the contents of the bowls and likes what he sees but honestly he would take plain oatmeal if Alexander ate it with him.

He's happy. He goes over their conversation in his head, thinks the promise of a date, the promise of _something_. Magnus isn't really thinking of going out anywhere right now and simply knowing that Alexander is willing to give them a chance, that's what's making him happy.

 

Alec was only supposed to walk Magnus to the dining hall and leave but he ends up sitting with him and after they're done eating, it's Magnus who walks Alec to the front door of the Institute.

"Are you going to call?" Magnus asks because now that he knows for a fact Alexander is interested, he is not as desperate to push them another step forward. He wants to let Alexander be the one to decide when they'll meet next, excluding another emergency call.

"I will. Or I'll send you a message. Magnus, I- I promise to do my best to make time but in case something happens, I am still the High Warlock and we are kind of at war right now…"

"I know, Alexander. I'm a Shadowhunter and going where and when I'm needed is my duty, too. I'm only asking that you don't avoid me anymore."

"Yeah. I won't, I promise."

Magnus gives him a bright smile. "Then we're okay even if we don't get to go out before we catch whoever's behind this. I know you're worth waiting for."

Delighted, Magnus watches this hundreds-of-years-old man blush and duck his head to hide a smile.

A second later Alec opens a portal for himself to go home and before walking through it, he tells Magnus to take better care of himself whenever the next fight happens.

 

Magnus does not speak of this to his friends during the day but his smiles and his constant humming drive Raphael and Elias up the wall anyway.

* *

On the warlock side of things, new discoveries are made. To make the pentagrams and circles, blood was used along with paint. Downworlder blood: Warlock, Seelie and Werewolf blood, though not all at once and it appeared that it didn't matter which was used specifically.

It made sense that blood made the magic stronger and it also gave Alec and the Institute something to follow: find out which Downworlders have gone missing and were _not_ found killed. Yes, the summoners could have gotten blood from those who have been found with demon claw-marks and other signs of a demonic attack but Alec was more inclined to believe the warlocks would keep their supply… fresh and at hand.

Curiously, no Vampire blood was detected and that probably had to do with the kind of life force vampires have, which was not suitable.

Alec sent out messages to Lydia and he, unfortunately, had to contact Aldertree as well if he wanted to get information back from the Seelies. At least with Shadowhunters, there was no doubt they'd move the whole city if one of their own was missing and they did not find the body to take back. The rest of the Shadow World, even under steady leadership, was not as organized and concerned about every single member of their kind as the Nephilim were.

* * *

Change comes to the New York Institute. In the following days, it's announced they'll be getting "support" which _should_ mean "reinforcements" but Luke, Maia and later Magnus, when he found out, know that it means something else. It means "supervision" first and then meddling in their affairs for the sake of "fixing" New York's incompetence.

Magnus's whole day become bad the second that the new Shadowhunters step through the portal and he sees Lorenzo at the head of the team.

His jaw clenches but he stands with the others to welcome them.

Some of the Shadowhunters come from Idris but some are from other Institutes, such as Lorenzo himself. Magnus knows him quite well and wishes he didn't. Magnus wishes he was never in the same places Lorenzo was.

They were older teenagers when they first met. Almost young adults but not adult enough to avoid the bitter rivalry that existed between them. It had to do with Magnus's family and Lorenzo's pride, and both of their strong-headedness and it was bad enough between them they couldn't even finish the training they'd been sent for to Spain with a number of other young Shadowhunters. From that time Magnus never saw Lorenzo again when he moved around the world before ending up in New York. Until now.

While they are officially welcoming the Shadowhunters, Magnus doesn't have to concern himself with talking to Lorenzo but soon enough they'll be interacting for one reason or another.

Magnus knows better than to expect the other man to just leave him be and avoid him for the duration of his stay here. He resolves to do his part to avoid problems but it won't depend solely on him. Unfortunately.

When they are all dismissed for the day, Magnus goes straight to his room and sleeps until his next patrol.

* * *

Alec gets a list of names. One Seelie, two werewolves. He also knows of some warlocks who were for a fact missing, not just antisocial and holed up somewhere. The problem with warlocks is that if they're gone, he has no way of telling if they are possessed or actually involved with the evil deeds. Surely there is no need to kidnap extra ones for blood if they could get it from those enthralled?

Alec also asks for and receives several items belonging to the missing Downworlders and prepares to track them. He knows he won't simply find them this way. If and wherever they're held, if alive, it'll be a concealed place, surely protected with magic and possibly over water. Still, he's willing to collect bits and pieces of knowledge until he gets _results_.

Jace and Clary are weary of fighting the demons, he knows. With magic and Seelie daggers, they clean up the streets and close the rifts. They're out there as often as Shadowhunters are, protecting the Downworlders and mundanes while Alec stays up all night trying to figure out a more permanent solution.

Isabelle and the few vampires she calls friends do not fight but they're good for sneaking around and they keep bringing back information about suspicious activity.

That becomes a problem, of a sort. Not everyone likes being watched when they're out and about and especially not when they're warlocks who like their independence.

Some come to the townhouse to voice that.

Alec is not surprised by that happening but he is surprised it's so soon. He also never expected problems from Raj but he's right there with three others to tell the High Warlock it's not appreciated to be spied on.

Alec stands with his arms crossed on his chest and wonders how bad of an idea it is to just portal all of them away before they say more that he doesn't like.

What he does, instead of getting rid of them, is talk: "The second this is over and the source of the rifts is gone, I'll be the first to protect all of your privacy. However, right now, I can't agree to _not_ have all kinds of patrols at night."

"So there's nothing that'll change?"

"Look, the vampires are only talking about things worth reporting," Alec says. "They don't like me, we don't get together, sit and gossip."

"What if some get used to it? Especially Shadowhunters, what if they keep on watching us after "just in case"?"

Alec closes his eyes, breathes, opens them again.

"I'm sorry, but right now I'm thinking about the woman who was just freed from possession thanks to Shadowhunters, some of whom _died_ , and I'm thinking of our people who will be as traumatized as she is once they're freed from their possession." He looks at the warlock to the left. "I am _not_ thinking about your need to go gamble at 3 am, drunk off your ass and trying to solicit Seelies for sex. If that's wrong in your opinion, I don't know what to tell you."

Outraged gasp answers him.

"And no, I did not know that from vampire spies," Alec adds, sharply. "If you can't figure out that for the few weeks we're at war with demons you should avoid casting any suspicion on yourself or you could, you know, portal out of the city altogether, I truly don't know what to tell you. Now please leave."

They're not exactly willing to argue anymore, especially not when Alec's eyes carry a storm in them. Before they're gone, he says, "And don't think I don't realize none of you ever offered your help since the news of the rifts became widely known."

 

After that, Alec sends out messages to every warlock whose name he knows in the state informing them that complaining will be ignored. He's a little kinder in the message since it's going out to people he knows are sensible, and reminds everyone to watch out for their own safety.

Jace and Izzy make fun of him for sending company-wide memos but neither disagrees that it's needed if only to avoid more stupid visits like the one that just happened.

 

Later that night, by some miracle, all Lightwoods plus Clary get together to sit in the living room. They rest. They eat unhealthy food and watch TV and do not talk about the demon problem for one night.

Isabelle wears a maroon, oversized sweater and fancy shorts under it and she sits in the armchair with her feet on the edge and her knees pulled to her chest. She's sipping her "drink". Alec's in his favourite well-worn sweater, sweatpants and the thickest socks he has. He's sitting in the other armchair while the lovebirds take over the sofa, Clary pressed to Jace's side and his arm's wrapped around her. Clary's in a green t-shirt and brown, soft pants and wrapped in some kind of Seelie shawl which was either handmade or made with magic (because Alec swears the flowers on it _move_ ) and Jace's in simple t-shirt and jeans. If someone walked in on them, they couldn't be more mundane in that moment... except for Clary's flowery shawl.

 

Eventually, the topic of Magnus comes up. Izzy smirks at the way her brother is _obvious_ and can't hide what he's feeling because if he tries to hide he just becomes more flustered by it.

Since Jace and Clary were there for the fight, they also knew about Magnus's injury and they knew Alec didn't come home until noon the next day.

"Look, man," Jace says, "you know we don't mind he's a Shadowhunter."

"I know, I know… it's just not the best time to be trying anything." Alec answers seriously.

"On one hand I agree because if we didn't go out together with Clary to patrol we wouldn't even see each other, either. Not to mention doing anything _together_ ," Jace says. "But you don't have a guarantee nothing will happen after this. And after that. And again."

"At least he's not a Mundane," Isabelle points out. "Who's better to understand your work than a Shadowhunter?"

Alec sighs.

"Yes, it's great. Every other time I close my eyes I see him covered in his own blood but it's great that he's a Shadowhunter."

Isabelle's gaze softens and Jace and Clary exchange looks.

"All right. Let's agree to this: we focus on work, not romance. We find the assholes who are doing this to us and keep Magnus safe until you can get him to come for a nice evening and smooch him on the couch instead of moping with us."

Alec frowns. "I _like_ being able to mope with all of you. And I'm not smooching Magnus in this house as long as you're all living in it."

Jace snorts.

"Well, you're going to have to because we're not moving out. You can always get invited to _his_ room. I bet it's comfy with all that Clave-approved furniture."

Alec has no idea what Magnus's room looks like but he can make an educated guess that it's not boring. If that room holds Magnus's wardrobe and his eyeliners, it can't be boring. He probably has some fancy pillows, at least.

Alec shakes off the thoughts of pillows in the Institute and reminds his siblings (and Clary) that they were supposed to spend the time together so before it's time for bed for everyone, they can still do something together that isn't talking about Alec's love life.

*

The next morning, he and Jace focus on tracking again. The disjointed images Alec got from the items appear again but it's easier to try and make sense of them with two minds.

They come to a conclusion that they're getting visions of two different placed from the four missing people.

Alec writes down every detail but it's still not nearly enough to locate them. One is possibly a warehouse or possibly the inside of a ship. The other must be an actual building but they can't tell if it's a house or a shop.

The same day, Alec joins his brother and Clary on a hunt for open rifts and they spend the day portalling around the city together. It's easy to deal with since they got so much practice closing them by now but the continued existence of these damned things frustrates Alec.

 

In the evening, Andrew comes by and that at least is good news because he's the second most useful warlock after Jace which means he's Alec's second favorite warlock and he's been the one helping from the beginning of this mess. If he comes by unannounced and not on a social call, it means he's bringing _something_ and the something is not complaints like the others.

The thing about summoning circles is that they do not have to be identical to do the same thing. There are universal rules to drawing them but the details… well, the devil is in the details. Alec has been forwarding all the photos from the vampires and Shadowhunter patrols to Andrew and the few other warlocks knowledgeable enough to analyze the circles and come to conclusions based on them.

Today, Alec finally hears something that'll let him move forward.

After the last battle, the large drawing that remained was incredibly useful to the scholar warlocks who decided they all agree on which of the realms the rifts open to. They also came to a conclusion that a demon, most likely a Greater one - though it could also be some other intelligent demon - had given the evil warlocks tips on pentagram-drawing.

Demonic symbols were added on the edges and they were not all symbols which could be learned by warlocks from books alone.

That, of course, makes sense and Alec would love to know just which demon is involved. That, however, isn't so easy to figure out even if they now know the hellish realm the lesser demons came from.

Alec thanks Andrew and the blond warlock leaves, going back home to get some sleep before diving back into research.

 

 


End file.
